Question

Erikson Stages of Psychosocial Development. For each stage, give an example of how you were able to assess this during your clinical activity. What stages did you observe? (at least one full page)

Answer 1

Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development are based upon the Freud’s psychosexual theory. These stages involve:

• Trust vs. mistrust: This involves the growth between the time periods of 12 months from birth. This is the time in which the children learn to trust their parents or care providers and this ultimately showcase their trust and response toward the society. During my clinical activity, I accessed this stage via a child who was engendering feelings of fear and anxiety. It is common for children to show these emotions if they are not treated well by their guardians or their needs are not fulfilled by them.
• Autonomy vs. shame: (age 1-3 years) toddlers among this age group begin to experience independence and autonomy. They try to do stuff on their own which cumulate independence among them. During my clinical activity I observed the child to be responsive toward his surroundings and he wanted to dress up on his own and wanted to take his medicine on his own which clearly demonstrated the stage of autonomy vs. shame.
• Initiative vs. guilt: this stage involve children among the age group of 6-12. This is also known as the elementary school stage. Children begin to socialize and play under the influence of initiative vs. guilt. Over-controlling parents can lower down the confidence of children which can also lead to guilt. However, supportive parents can help the children to explore new things which can lead to initiative. During my clinical activity, I met numerous children and I observed that children with supportive parents were more confident than the children with over-controlling parents.
• Industry vs. inferiority: (age 6-12 years) this involve the children to compare themselves with others which can either lead to inferiority or industry. Children that were able to complete their homework had a sense of pride but the children that failed to complete their homework on their own developed inferiority.
• Identity vs. role confusion: (age 12-18) main sense of a child under this stage is to develop the sense of self. They start to set goals and attempt to discover their adult selves. Apathetic adolescents experience a role confusion. I encounter various cases in my clinical activity that were not sure of what they want and who they want to become.
• Intimacy vs. isolation: (20s-40s) people having a strong sense of self were more open and intimate in comparison to children with lower sense of self. During my clinical activity adults with lower sense of self experienced feelings of loneliness and emotional isolation.
• Generativity vs. stagnation: (40s-60s) generativity means contributing to the society by volunteering. Adults that are able to contribute to the next generation have greater interest in self-improvement than adults that cannot contribute.
• Integrity vs. despair: (60s-end of life) people that feel proud of their achievements have a sense of integrity but people that do not feel proud tends to feel despair.