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Developmental Analysis Assignment
Angela Knighton
COUC 502: Human Growth and Development
Jennifer Moore
December 11, 2022
Developmental Analysis Assignment 2
Abstract
Life is not all about what you make it but rather what the world around you promotes and
facilitates. As we move throughout the lifespan there are developmental theories and stages that
attempt to explain how to promote healthy growth and development for an individual. Human
development begins at conception and ends when a person dies. Everything in between is
contingent upon an individual’s infancy and childhood. Caregivers play a critical role in this
process because their attachment with their children can promote or hinder individual
development. Each stage of life is shaped by our core values, principles, and relationship with
God. The goal of this developmental analysis is to examine specific life experiences that
influenced individual growth and development.
Developmental Analysis Assignment 3
Developmental Analysis Assignment
Development starts at birth and continues until a person dies. Every individual goes
through growth and development and there are several theories that can be used to explain how
and why an individual may develop into the person he or she is. It is important to examine all
aspects of a person’s life to gain meaningful insight about their personal growth and
development. Wong et al. (2020), described human growth and development as complex and
multidimensional because an individual matures and develops through his or her experiences and
this process continues throughout the lifespan. It is important to promote healthy growth and
development because any adverse experience can hinder or alter the developmental pattern. The
other factor to consider is that any experience can and will create change and/or create stability
in the individual’s life (Wong et al., 2020). The purpose of this paper is for me to examine my
own growth and development based on theories, life stages, and personal experiences. I will
discuss the influence of my family, the influence of growing up as a military child, and the
influence of my current life of being wife, mother, full-time employee, and full-time student. I
will conclude the paper by discussing how my current lifestyle may influence my aging process
and what I plan to do about it.
Pregnancy, Birth, and Infancy
I was born into a two-parent household where my parents were married and are still
married. I am the second born out of three. In addition, I am the second girl and I have a younger
brother. My mother shared that there were no complications with her pregnancy or delivery with
me. A healthy pregnancy is pertinent for the development of the fetus because any negative
impacts could alter or hinder the developmental process. Genetics, environment, and society all
play a role on growth and development and 50% of that role is influenced by heredity (Polanska,
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et al., 2015). Not only should an expecting mother eat healthy and go to her doctor visits, but she
should also refrain from smoking, drinking or anything else that could be harmful to the fetus.
According to Wong et al. (2020), each trimester of pregnancy promotes significant development
to the growing infant because the organs are growing, and pregnancy encompasses cognitive,
social, and emotional development. They further explain that things like malnutrition, maternal
stress, domestic violence, and smoking would be aversive for the mother and developing fetus
(Wong et al., 2020), Polanska et al., 2015). Fortunately, my mother did not live with any of these
concerns while she was pregnant with me (or my siblings). My father was in the military, which
made seeking prenatal care and medical advice accessible to my family which contributed to my
healthy fetal growth development and healthy delivery. After birth is the beginning of a child’s
experiences to the world as they start to learn how to navigate it. As an infant, I was considered a
calm baby and I met my developmental milestones early or on time. Wong et al. (2020)
explained the different developmental milestones from infancy to one year and what is
considered normal, healthy development noting that by four months infants should lift their head,
kick their arms and legs; by eight months infants should open their mouths for food, laugh,
smile, and crawl; and by 12 months they should be able to stand alone, sit on a chair, and starting
learning to walk with support.
Childhood, Adolescence, and Erikson’s Stages of Development
After infancy, young children are learning to develop who they are and acquiring skills
that may continue to define them throughout their life. Other concepts that Wong et al. (2020)
discussed are temperament and attachment. Temperament is defined as individual personality
and traits whereas attachment is defined as the emotional connection between the child and
caregiver(s) (Wong et al., 2020). Reflecting on my life, I would say that my temperament is
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easy-going and that I had a secure attachment with my parents and family. The importance of
these two concepts is they help build healthy development for the next stages when making
friends and later relationships with a significant other. Stupica (2016) discussed attachment and
argued parental involvement is necessary for healthy development because the child-parent
attachment assists in the development of competence in social and physical environment. I
remember having a close connection with my parents. I would argue that I had a closer
connection with my mother because my father had military obligations, but he was present, and I
could rely on both of my parents. My parents instilled biblical principles into my life and family
was always a main priority after building a relationship with God. My mother taught me the
skills to manage things on my own when I needed to, which could be described as self-
regulation. Growing up as a military child there were many transitions in my life. The biggest
transition was moving from one duty station to another or being at home with my mom and
siblings when we were unable to go with my dad because of work. Since I knew that at least my
mom was always there it made it less difficult for me to get used to the new places and manage
with what resources I had available to me. Secure attachment helps a person to develop skills
like self-regulation, emotion regulation, stable thought patterns, and stable behaviors that are
needed for later in life (Jones & Cassidy, 2014). Across my lifespan I have always been
reminded of the stable and secure attachment with God and how living for Christ would also
promote healthy growth and development.
Expounding on secure attachment as it relates to the military family, researchers have
discussed the importance of family and family life to the service member. As a child of a service
member, I learned the value of family and my core beliefs were developed from my family and
the military community. Lieberman and van Horn (2013) explained that the structure of the
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military community is based on core values like courage, duty, love, optimism, and adversity and
that the security of family is necessary to deal with the multitude of stressors that are related to
the military lifestyle. The other aspect of the military lifestyle to consider is that having an
attachment is necessary, especially during infancy and young childhood years, because a stable
caregiver is needed to assist with the development of healthy self-regulation and forming
relationships. Lieberman and van Horn (2013) explored different factors that contribute to an
individual’s healthy social and emotional development and acknowledged that the absence of
healthy attachment could lead to anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and struggles with interpersonal
relationships. I agree with the research in this area because looking back on my life and into the
present I have built lasting friendships, I have a secure and stable marriage, and family has
continued to be important to me. Even though growing up as a military child within the military
community has its stressors and difficult times it promoted healthy attachment for me and my
family.
A theory that I would apply to my life is Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory
and his stages of development. I recognize how the stage of trust versus mistrust (birth to 1 ½
years) has benefited me. I would say that my secure attachment and close-knit family promoted
me the opportunity to learn how to trust others. I did not suffer from abuse or neglect during
infancy and my basic needs were met. His next stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt (one
to three years old) applies because I believe that my parents taught me how to be independent
and I was able to learn the basic skill of hygiene. I think that I struggled in the next two stages
because I have an older sister that I look up to. The next stage of development is initiative versus
guilt (four to six years). This stage promotes self-confidence but struggles in this area bring out
the feelings of failure and inadequacy. I am not sure at what age I started comparing myself to
Developmental Analysis Assignment 7
my older sister, but I know that it impacted my development. She is only a few years older than
me, but she excelled at many things including sports and academics. I did well for myself, but I
believe this is where I started a self-inflicted pressure to become an overachiever. I do not
believe I lack self-confidence but when I do not perform above average feelings of failure can
get in the way. (Wong et al., 2020).
As I moved along in the stages, I noticed that I endured more struggles in my life. The
next Erikson developmental stage is industry versus inferiority and explores competence and
developing personal strengths. I may not have excelled in this area, but I think I was able to find
and stick to what I was good at. During this stage is when I lost my paternal grandfather. I was
eight years old and the first time I experienced death of a loved one. He was an important person
in my life, and I believe that his death played a role in me struggling to identify who I was as a
person. Identity versus role confusion does not begin until age 12, but I felt like I struggled with
my identity before that because I compared myself to my sister instead of trying to figure out
what was best for me. During this stage, which is from ages 12 to 18, an individual is learning to
identify where they fit into the world (Wong et al., 2020). I feel like I became confident in
myself at age 15. I had a better handle on how to navigate my world and understood that I was
able to be my own person. Schwartz and Petrova (2018) stated that defining personal identity is
important and that individuals typically start developing identity in childhood, but definition is
more significant during adolescence. Identifying who I was helped me identify meaningful and
lasting relationships in my life. Identity is a significant part of growth and development because
an individual is starting to think abstractly and become more aware of other people’s thoughts of
them, which is significant because a person wants a healthy well-being and be able to continue
healthy development (Schwartz & Petrova, 2018).
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Another turning point for me was becoming a mother at the age of 18. I would have been
ending identity versus role confusion and beginning intimacy versus isolation. During that time
in my life, I may have struggled with some negativity and was not sure how I was going to
accomplish what I wanted to in my life with a new baby, but I was also at a stage in my life
where I was starting my own family. I got married and had my second child. My husband was in
the military, and I learned about the miliary community from another perspective. I was able to
apply my personal experiences, values, and beliefs to support my family and assist my children
with healthy growth and development (see Jones & Cassidy, 2014). I was taught by my parents
that marriage is sacred and taught that it is important to have a stable and secure marriage.
Because of my Christian beliefs, I believe that God is always the basic foundation for a marriage
and a family, and I leaned on God to lead me and my family. For me, struggles set in when I was
learning how to balance everything that was going on in my life. Being a mother of two young
children, a wife, and trying to figure out how I was going to get back into school myself took a
toll on me, but I was able to lean on my family and close friends for support to attain my goals. I
am still within the stage of intimacy versus isolation, but there have been periods in my adult life
that I feel I am reliving the earlier stages and learning how to redefine my identity with all the
changes that have taken place across my lifespan so far. As I continued to develop I would learn
how to manage the changes in my life and then another factor would be added in that I had to
prioritize. For instance, I had my third child after my older two children were already in their
teenage years. The other priority was making a commitment to school for myself to maintain my
personal identity to facilitate healthy development for me. The security in my marriage and the
stability of my family has promoted the opportunity for me to continue to prosper. Pessin (2018)
noted that a healthy acceptance in gender norms promote healthy stable marriages.
Developmental Analysis Assignment 9
Current Lifestyle and Aging Process
Currently, I am raising two teenagers and a toddler with my husband. This is interesting
to me because everyone, except the teens, are in different developmental stages in their lives. I
have to remember this while raising my children and still focusing on my individual needs for
development. As I have grown and matured I have acknowledged that every person in my family
is an individual and even though there are general principles to apply each person, including
myself need to be treated as an individual. Furthermore, I have to start understanding that I am
also taking care of myself because I also need to maintain healthy growth and development.
As I get older, I have noticed that I have to focus on my basic needs again to manage
myself for the day. My main struggle is having a healthy sleep schedule. When I have adequate
sleep my mood is better, and I do well that day. Researchers have examined sleep in adulthood
and noted that healthy sleep patterns promote healthy functioning (Allen et al., 2016).
Conversely, when I do not get enough sleep I feel differently about my day and struggle in some
areas. According to Allen et al. (2016), fewer hours of sleep, struggles to fall asleep, and/or stay
asleep is not healthy for an individual and increase mental and physical health concerns. As I
move on in my lifespan I want to be able to enjoy my older years by seeing my children start
families and feeling that I have accomplished the things in my life that I set out to. If I am not
taking care of myself then I am less likely to achieve my goals or be alive to witness these
milestones. The last two stages of Erikson’s stages of development are generativity versus
stagnation (41 to 65) and integrity versus despair (65+). These stages encompass the caring of
offspring, giving, and the fostering of wisdom (Wong et al., 2020). The thing I have to remain
focused on include my physical health, which includes a healthy sleep pattern, eating healthy,
and normal exercise. These basic activities of daily living will serve as the foundation for my
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aging process. As everyone gets older physical changes happen to the body, so maintaining the
basic needs are necessary for me (Wong et al., 2020). Sometimes I have to remind myself to
make this a priority for myself because I often focus on taking care of those in my family. I tend
to prioritize their needs over my own and not consider that if my needs are not then it will be
more difficult for me to maintain their needs. Healthy growth and development across my
lifespan are pertinent for me to continue through the stages of life.
Throughout this paper, I discussed healthy growth and development across my lifespan
thus far. I explored critical time periods in my life and how they have shaped the person I am
today. I explored how the military, my parents, and currents events have promoted the
continuation of my growth and development. I also explored stages in life that I have not entered,
but what I need to do to get to and through them in a way to promote positive outcomes in my
development. In conclusion, it is necessary to have a secure foundation in life to promote and
facilitate positive outcomes.
Developmental Analysis Assignment 11
References
Allen, M. S., Magee, C. A., & Vella, S. A. (2016). Personality, hedonic balance and the quality
and quantity of sleep in adulthood. Psychology & Health, 31(9), 1091-1107.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2016.1178745
Jones, J. D., & Cassidy, J. (2014). Parental attachment style: Examination of links with parent
secure base provision and adolescent secure base use. Attachment & Human
Development, 16(5), 437-461.
https://doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1080.14616734.2014.921718
Lieberman, A. F., & van Horn, P. (2013). Infants and young children in military families: A
conceptual model for intervention. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 16(3),
282-293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-013-0140-4
Pessin, L. (2018). Changing gender norms and marriage in the United States. Journal of
Marriage and Family, 80(1), 25-41.
https://doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1111/jomf.12444
Polanska, K., Muszynski, P., Sobala, W. Dziewirska, A., Merecz-Kot, D., & Hanke, W. (2015).
Maternal lifestyle during pregnancy and child psychomotor development – Polish mother
and child cohort study. Early Human Development, 91(5), 317-325.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2015.03.002
Schwartz, S. J., & Petrova, M. (2018). Fostering healthy identity development in adolescence.
Nature Human Behavior, 2(2), 110-111. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-017-0283-2
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Stupica, B. (2016). Rounding bases with a secure base. Attachment & Human Development, 4(1),
373-390. https://doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1080/14616734.2016.1170052
Wong, D. W., Hall, K. R., & Hernandez, L. W. (2020). Counseling Individuals Through the
Lifespan (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
