Introduction This is a case study involving siblings Jon and Gem, eight grade twin boys, who exhibit different behaviors yet, are living with the same set of circumstances and residing in the same household. The question at hand is; how is it both juveniles, who are so much alike, have different reactions to the conditions they’re surrounded by. Jon and Gem’s father, Leroy, is struggling and seeks a resolution as to why one twin is completely out of control and the other continues to excel academically and socially. This difference in behavior seems to very common in many households. You have children in the same family, raised by the same parent(s) under the same conditions or circumstances, yet one or two of them seem to “walk to the left” while the others remain the right path. There many reasons this occurs and in this case study I will provide Leroy with some guidance and share some theories that may help explain why Jon and Gem’s response to…show more content… The Learning Theory applies to this behavior. This theory suggests that “criminal behavior, like any other behavior, must be learned. It can be learned in small groups or by watching others.” Gem modeled the delinquent behavior of those peers he associated with. His drug and alcohol use, truancy and shoplifting are behaviors he picked up by watching others engage in them
There’s another theory at work here that is very important is The “Resilience Theory”. This theory suggests “the presence of one or more protective factors can reduce the effects of exposure to adversity.” It is important to maintain positive reinforcements as too many failures can counter the resilient effects. This theory certainly applies to Jon. Jon had the protective factor of his father, teachers and coaches. He was surrounded by people who kept him focused and motivated. This in turn helped him to resist negative influences and