DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS 1
Developmental Analysis
Charity Morton
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
Author Note
.I have no known conflict of interest to disclose
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to
:Email
DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS 2
Abstract
Every individual goes through development throughout life, and it looks different for everyone.
Understanding human development is essential to understanding the differences in clients, the
unique characteristics each one brings to a session, and how to effectively provide counseling to
them. Analyzing one’s developmental process enables individuals to find gaps in their process
and formulate a deeper understanding of one’s life. Looking into my development process and
uncovering aspects of my childhood helped me understand why I am the person I am today.
Starting with conception and continuing through each stage until my current stage of
development, late adolescence, I have a deeper understanding of myself. In addition, by
analyzing my life, I can look at current lifestyle behaviors that may harm my aging process and
work on changing them to better my health so I can be the best counselor for my clients and
continuously grow as a counselor.
Keywords: development, stages, lifespan
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Developmental Analysis
Human development is crucial for counselors to know so they can help clients in various
stages of life and provide counseling most effectively. Despite everyone going through a
developmental process throughout life, the process is not the same for everyone. Different
factors affect each stage of development, including biological, cultural, environmental, and
psychological factors. With that, engaging in self-awareness and understanding one’s
development process helps one to understand better why they are the person they are today, and
it enables them to apply what they learn to others and make connections. This paper will explore
the various stages of my development and analyze the influencing factors that led to who I am
today, starting with conception and prenatal development and ending with late adolescence. In
addition, it includes an overview of current lifestyle behaviors that may contribute to my aging
process.
Conception and Prenatal Development
My mother had me when she and my father were 31 years old on June 2, 2002. It was
their second pregnancy, and my mother was strictly in bed for her first and second trimesters.
She had pre-eclampsia, which is a high blood pressure disorder that occurs during pregnancy, as
well as gestational diabetes, which is increasing in prevalence (Monteiro et al., 2016). My
mother took care of herself and did not drink or do drugs during her pregnancy or ever, so for the
most part, her pregnancy was healthy.
Infancy
Infancy is from birth to about 24 months old. I came out two months prematurely and
was around four pounds. Premature births were common during this time but have decreased
recently (Glass et al., 2015). Premature babies are at a higher risk for death. Because I was
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premature, I had to stay in the hospital for longer after my mother gave birth. I had struggles with
breathing because my lungs did not develop fully, and I had to be hooked up to breathing tubes
to help me breathe. In addition, I had jaundice and underwent light therapy with a light box that
utilizes bright lights to mimic natural sunlight. Despite being born prematurely, I bounced back
from that and continued to develop as usual. I regained my health quickly with the help of
hospital technology. My mother exclusively breastfed me for a year, and after that, they
introduced formula and used both breastmilk and formula. Research shows breast milk has
components that help the immune system, the stomach, and the brain's development (Martin et
al., 2016). Because of this, it is the best source of nutrition for infants. My mother believes a
factor that helped me bounce back from the issues of being born prematurely and gaining the
usual amount of baby weight was their decision to use breastmilk for the first year. I reached
many milestones earlier than the average infant. Regarding physical development, I quickly grew
like most infants, but with motor skills and other developmental processes, I developed early.
My mother shared that neither I nor my siblings ever crawled. I started walking when I was less
than a year old. In addition, I started talking at an early age and talked a lot as a baby. I was an
easy baby with an easy temperament, was cheerful and adapted quickly to changes. I had a
secure attachment style and felt safe with my parents. According to Erik Erikson, infancy is the
trust versus mistrust stage (Wong et al., 2021). My parents cared for me consistently and loved
me, which helped me develop confidence and hope during this stage. I grew up in a nurturing
and encouraging environment, which allowed me to thrive. I did not cry a lot as a baby and was
fine when separated from my parents. I did not attend daycare because my mother did not work
during infancy, but if my mother needed to run errands without me, my grandma and grandpa
took care of me. On the topic of sleep, I slept well and had a good sleeping routine and pattern. I
DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS 5
only woke up when I was hungry, but other than that, all I did was sleep. I rarely cried, but when
I did, my parents used extinction after ensuring I was not in danger; they often used the “cry-it-
out” method.
Toddlerhood
Toddlerhood is between ages one and three, and as a toddler, my mother shared that I
continued to develop early and increase my motor skills. I was potty trained at an early age and
was very independent. This aspect reveals Erikson's stage of psychosocial development for
toddlers is autonomy versus shame and doubt, and I was very independent and self-reliant. This
aspect is evident in toilet training as well. My mother recalls that I always preferred to do things
myself without help. I often said, “I do it,” and would get upset if I got help. Fostering autonomy
at this stage is vital but also challenging, especially with their lack of understanding of parental
demands, such as cleaning up toys, their low tolerance for frustration and difficulty verbalizing
their feelings (Andreadakis et al., 2018). Because of this, researchers discovered effective ways
for parents to foster autonomy and make their toddlers do uninteresting activities, such as
picking up toys. Researchers found that communicating empathy, using age-appropriate short
explanations, describing the problem and why there needs to be action, and modeling the
requested behavior all positively fostered toddlers' autonomy and helped them engage in
mundane activities. I believe my parents took similar measures to help me with my autonomy
and to help me learn to be independent. With that, I was a daredevil and fearless as a toddler. At
this stage, I managed to get into a bottle of albuterol and drink it, so I had to go to the hospital
and have my stomach pumped. I jumped off objects often and often had to be watched because I
was accident-prone. My mother started working again when I was two, so my grandparents cared
for me while my mother and father worked. I was an active toddler and had many imaginary
DEVELOPMENTAL ANALYSIS 6
friends. I engaged in parallel play with my older brother and then moved to imitative play. I
recall having many baby dolls, kitchen sets, and purses and trying on my mother's high heels to
imitate her actions. My parents raised me in a loving, Christian home and cared for me. My
mother shared that I did not have separation anxiety as a toddler, but regarding stranger anxiety,
because my father was in the military at the time, he was deployed to Afghanistan for a couple of
months. When he returned, I did not recognize him and exhibited some uneasiness around him
until I warmed up to him again, and he became a part of my routine again. Concerning discipline,
my parents spanked me when necessary, and they explained rules and expectations. I remember
having many stuffed animals that I used whenever I slept. I had a good sleep routine and did well
with naps. I did not watch much television as a toddler, but I loved playing with toys and other
children. I was a very social toddler and did well during playtime, even with other children.
Preschool
Preschool is between the ages of three and six, and I started going to preschool when I
was three. On my first day of preschool, I did not cry or struggle when my parents dropped me
off. I excitedly went into the classroom and parted from my parents easily. It helped that I knew
my teacher, and my mother was a teacher at the same school, so I knew she was a classroom
away if I needed her. At this age, I had the attitude and mindset to do everything by myself
without anyone’s help; because of this, I effortlessly dressed myself for preschool and
kindergarten. Regarding class activities and motor skills such as gluing, painting, scissor skills,
and tying my shoes, I did well and improved my ability as the school year progressed. I often did
make-believe play and played pretend. My mother and father remember videotaping me while I
talked to myself and played with my imaginary friends in my room. I enjoyed playing; it was my
main activity at this stage. In addition, at this stage, my grandparents still lived with us and spoke
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Tagalog, which is one of the Filipino dialects, so because of that, I understood Tagalog for some
time until they left to go back to the Philippines. Because three-year-olds have short-term
memory, I tended to reread my favorite books, such as Barbie books or Dr. Seuss books. As I got
used to going to school and moved to kindergarten, I started to share toys more often, but I still
struggled with it at times. In addition, attending school helped solidify what is right and what is
wrong and helped me learn to obey and listen to all rules, especially since following directions
and listening to the teacher meant punishment was avoided, which aligns with Kohlberg’s pre-
conventional stage of moral development (Wong et al., 2021). At this stage, I was in Erikson’s
initiative versus guilt stage of psychosocial development. I often looked to my parents for
approval before doing something at this stage. My parents let me explore and fostered a sense of
self-confidence for me when performing tasks, which helped me develop initiative instead of
guilt. Although, when I knew I misbehaved or did something wrong, I knew the consequences
and felt shame because of my actions. I did not need much discipline at this age and rarely had
temper tantrums. I was not an extremely emotional toddler, but I would get frustrated and have
negative outbursts when hungry. During kindergarten, my best friend, who is still my best friend
today, went to school with me, and she is who I primarily played with. I engaged in parallel play
more as a preschooler, but in kindergarten, I engaged more in associative play and had a bigger
group of friends. I enjoyed playing, and my school had a good balance of prioritizing play time
and learning time. Research shows that play aids in learning and promoting development in
children (Aras, 2015). It encourages physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional skills that a teacher
cannot teach in a classroom setting. Piaget and Vygotsky discovered the necessity of play and its
effects on children’s cognition and developmental processes. My mother shared that often, I took
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on the mother role at school and with my school friends and displayed empathy toward my
classmates.
Middle Childhood
Middle childhood is from ages six to twelve, and at this stage, I grew the most, which is
ordinary for children at this developmental stage. I was always on the shorter side compared to
my classmates, so after I hit five feet, I did not grow anymore. At this stage, I had better motor
skills, I started to develop my primary and secondary sex characteristics, and I formed
relationships with males and females. I was homeschooled from second grade to fifth grade
because my mother was pregnant with my younger brother, so she stopped working and
homeschooled my brother and me while my younger brother was a baby. At this time, my
mother realized I flourished better in a traditional school setting because I needed the
competition. I consistently did well academically, but I tended to daydream. When my younger
brother was old enough to attend school, I returned to traditional school in the sixth grade. I
remember being so used to homeschooling that I cried after being told I would be attending
traditional school again. The psychosocial stage for middle childhood is industry versus
inferiority. Despite excelling in school and doing well academically, the thought of being
surrounded by strangers made me feel inferior and incompetent. As a child, I was shy and afraid
of what others would think of me and looking foolish, and I worried about making friends.
Research shows shyness relates to social anxiety issues because they are more likely to
experience peer rejection, social exclusion, and a lack of social skills (Tsui et al., 2016). I had
some anxiety, and being homeschooled and rarely interacting with others did not help my social
anxiety. I experienced uneasiness during the weeks leading up to the first day of school. The only
social experiences I had were at church. Because of this, I worried about having friends and
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being invited to events. Although I was invited to events by my church friends, due to being the
only girl in the family and my mother's tendency to be a helicopter mom, I rarely attended social
events, which often left me feeling excluded, which made my social anxiety worse because of
the lack of socialization. As the weeks passed after my first week of school, I got into a routine
and started making friends and enjoying school. I remember it not being as bad as I thought it
would be. My anxieties subsided, and I felt more competent in school and consistently doing
well academically. I experienced more positive experiences that fostered competence, which
helped me during this stage. As I became more comfortable around my classmates and formed
deeper friendships, peer pressure affected my behavior. Because my parents were stricter and
erred on the side of authoritarian parenting, despite heavily caring about my peers' opinions, I
feared my parent's opinions more, which often helped me decide to make the right decision. My
parents often told me during this stage to think before I speak and act and not to follow what
others are doing. It was also during this time that I got saved. Because of this, my parents used
Biblical principles to discipline and morally guide me. My parents often told me to think about
how Jesus acted and treated others and what the Bible said. I quickly learned who the right kinds
of people to be friends with and who were the wrong kinds of people. I had one best friend who
is still my best friend to this day at church, and I developed friends at school as the years passed.
I became more comfortable in the traditional school setting and continued to increase my skills
and feelings of competency.
Early Adolescence
Early adolescence is between the ages of 13 and 18 and is the stage I remember the most,
not including my current stage of life. I reached puberty at the usual age but physically did not
develop much, which impacted my self-esteem. I remember the difference in my thinking at this
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stage and how my school subjects reflected that aspect. In addition, my relationship with my
parents changed, especially with my mother. I was a rule follower and did not have a rebel stage,
but I started to distance myself from my parents, and we got into more quarrels during this stage.
I began to lean more on my friends rather than my parents, which hurt my mother some. It was
also at this stage that peer pressure was a struggle, and I often got told by my parents that the
friends I surround myself with will determine my future, so I need to choose my friends wisely.
In addition, at this stage, relationships with boys were important. I stopped thinking boys were
nasty and started developing feelings for the boys I was attracted to. In addition, at this stage,
many of my friends moved away because they were military families, and I struggled more with
my mental health. Body image and eating disorders were a crucial component during this time,
in addition to anxiety and depression. The drive to be thin and the struggles with body image was
an area I struggled with and still struggle with to this day. However, because of it, it is a
motivating factor to recover so that I can help others who may be going through a similar
struggle. Throughout this stage, I started to form my identity. The psychosocial stage for early
adolescence is identity versus role confusion. During this stage, adolescents need support to help
them develop a state of identity and become independent (Maree, 2021). Through my parent's
guidance and trying on different identities, I started to formulate my identity. From a young age,
I knew I wanted to be in a field relating to psychology because it was a passion of mine, so
choosing a college major was easier for me. In addition, during the middle of my senior year of
high school, COVID-19 started, and I spent my senior year quarantined and barely had a
graduation. It was challenging, especially since I dreamed of my graduation day.
Late Adolescence
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Late adolescence is between the ages of 19 to 25. Starting college during COVID-19 was
challenging and different, but that did not mean it was not an exciting time for me. Because I
grew up with stricter parents, college meant freedom, but even with freedom, I still reverted to
old habits and was afraid to do things because I lived under my parent's rule for so long.
Research shows that helicopter parenting and too much parental involvement can harm a child's
development and can make them feel incompetent and more likely to struggle with stress
(Darlow et al., 2017). Even though I was thousands of miles away from my parents, I still felt I
had to ask for permission before going somewhere, even to Walmart. These feelings started to
subside the longer I was away from home, and I felt more comfortable at college and
independent. My transition to college academically was smooth. I have always had a drive and
passion for education; it continued from high school to college. Although, psychologically,
because of how new everything was, it was more emotional and challenging than I thought, but I
got used to it. During this stage, I have prioritized wellness and health to ensure I am functioning
at optimal health. This stage has helped me form more intimate and long-lasting relationships.
The psychosocial stage of development for late adolescence is intimacy versus isolation. Because
I am more of an introvert, I did not realize the importance of relationships, but being in college,
learning to prioritize friendships, and learning to love the people around me taught me how
necessary relationships are for humans. Having my friends around me warded off feelings of
loneliness and isolation and helped increase my mental health, especially during the stressful
points in the semester. At this stage, I also learned more about solidifying my identity and
learning about my values and beliefs, not just the ones I adopted from my parents. Despite
alcohol and drug use being considered normal in college, it is something I swore I would never
do because of the negative effects, as well as because I have too many relatives who are
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alcoholics and were drug users, and I have seen how it has destroyed them and their families. It
is never an aspect that I considered necessary or fascinating, especially since the smell of it
triggers bad memories. With that, I also have the heart to help individuals who struggle with
substance abuse, and it is an area in my career and as I continue my education that I am looking
into.
Current Lifestyle
As an overachiever, I take on too many tasks and get overwhelmed and stressed easily.
With this, I stay up late doing those tasks, and my body does not get the adequate amount of
sleep it needs. If I continue to do this, it can lead to extreme tiredness, feelings of burnout, and
poor work quality. Because of this, I am working on lessening my workload and being realistic
with how much work I can handle. In addition, by prioritizing one or two tasks instead of doing
every task in one day, I can have a better work-life balance and get more rest than my body
needs by getting into bed earlier and getting good quality and quantity of sleep.
Conclusion
Looking at human development personally enables a deeper understanding of oneself and
specific factors that affect development negatively or positively. By looking at my development,
I can know what to look for when working with clients and make connections within their
developmental timelines. Further study possibilities are looking into how my identity continues
to grow throughout my graduate school experience and how I regain independence as I age.
Additionally, future studies can explore how moving from homeschooling to traditional school
can affect an individual’s mental health and learning experience.
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