Psychosocial Development Case Study Analysis
Psychosocial Development Case Study Analysis
Darryl Albarado
Survey of Research in Human Development for Professional Counselors
The theory of psychosocial development created by Erik Erikson is perhaps one of the best known personality theories. The theory differs from many others in that it addresses development across the entire lifespan, from birth through death. At each stage, the individual deals with a conflict that serves as a turning point in development. When the conflict is resolved successfully, the person is able to develop the psychosocial quality associated with that particular stage of development (Crain, 2011). Marie is in the eighth and final stage of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, integrity versus despair. This stage occurs during late adulthood from age 65 through the end of life. During this period of time, people reflect back on the life they have lived and come away with either a sense of fulfillment from a life well lived or a sense of regret and despair over a life misspent (Niolon, 2009). Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general feeling of satisfaction. These individuals will attain wisdom, even when confronting death (Niolon, 2009). Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness, purposelessness and despair (Niolon, 2009). In the field of addiction counseling, working with Marie would first involve dual diagnosing since she seems to be experiencing memory loss, symptoms of depression, and feelings of anxiousness. Evaluating the entire family and learning more about the family history may also benefit Marie since there are additional issues that seem to be surrounding her family,
Darryl Albarado
Survey of Research in Human Development for Professional Counselors
The theory of psychosocial development created by Erik Erikson is perhaps one of the best known personality theories. The theory differs from many others in that it addresses development across the entire lifespan, from birth through death. At each stage, the individual deals with a conflict that serves as a turning point in development. When the conflict is resolved successfully, the person is able to develop the psychosocial quality associated with that particular stage of development (Crain, 2011). Marie is in the eighth and final stage of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, integrity versus despair. This stage occurs during late adulthood from age 65 through the end of life. During this period of time, people reflect back on the life they have lived and come away with either a sense of fulfillment from a life well lived or a sense of regret and despair over a life misspent (Niolon, 2009). Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general feeling of satisfaction. These individuals will attain wisdom, even when confronting death (Niolon, 2009). Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience many regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness, purposelessness and despair (Niolon, 2009). In the field of addiction counseling, working with Marie would first involve dual diagnosing since she seems to be experiencing memory loss, symptoms of depression, and feelings of anxiousness. Evaluating the entire family and learning more about the family history may also benefit Marie since there are additional issues that seem to be surrounding her family,
References: Crain, William (2011). Theories of Development: Concepts and Applications (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Gifford, S. (2012). Family Involvement is Important in Substance Abuse Treatment. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 18, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2011/family-involvement-is-important-in-substance-abuse-treatment. Infeld, D. L. (Ed.). (2002). Disciplinary approaches to aging: Anthropology of aging (Vol. 4). New York: Routledge. Newman, B., & Newman, P. (1991) Development through life: A psychosocial approach (5th ed.) Palisades, CA: Brooks-Cole. Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Niolon, R. (2009). Erickon 's Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved Apr. 12, 2009, from http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/person/erikson.html.