Psychosocial stage
Psychosocial stage
Stage 5: Identity versus Role Confusion (about 13 Years to about 21 Years). With the
onset of puberty and its myriad social and physiological changes, the adolescent
becomes preoccupied with the question of identity. Erikson noted in Childhood and
Society that youth are now “primarily concerned with what they appear to be in the eyes
of others as compared to what they feel they are, and with the question of how to
connect the roles and skills cultivated earlier with the occupational prototypes of the
day.” Childhood roles and fantasies are no longer appropriate, yet the adolescent is far
from equipped to become an adult. In Childhood and Society, Erikson writes that the
integration that occurs in the formation of ego identity encompasses far more+ than the
summation of childhood identifications. “It is the accrued experience of the ego’s ability
to integrate these identifications with the vicissitudes of the libido, with the aptitudes
developed out of endowment, and with the opportunities offered in social roles.” The
formation of cliques and an identity crisis occur at the end of adolescence. Erikson calls
the crisis normative because it is a normal event. Failure to negotiate this stage leaves
adolescents without a solid identity; they suffer from identity diffusion or role confusion,
characterized+ by not having a sense of self and by confusion about their place in the
world. Role confusion can manifest in such behavioral abnormalities as running away,
criminality, and overt psychosis. Problems in gender identity and sexual role may
manifest at this time. Adolescents may defend against role diffusion by joining cliques or
cults or by identifying with folk heroes. Intolerance of individual differences is a way in
which the young person attempts to ward off a sense of identity loss. Falling in love, a
process by which the adolescent may+ clarify a sense of identity by projecting a diffused
self-image onto the partner and seeing it gradually assume a more distinctive shape,
and an overidentification with idealized figures are means by which the adolescent
seeks self-definition. With the attainment of a more sharply focused identity, the youth
develops the virtue of fidelity—faithfulness not only to the nascent self-definition but also
to an ideology that provides a version of self-in-world. As Erik Erikson, Joan Erikson,
and Helen Kivnick wrote in Vital Involvement in Old Age, “Fidelity+ is the ability to
sustain loyalties freely pledged in spite of the inevitable contradictions of value systems.
It is the cornerstone of identity and receives inspiration from confirming ideologies and
affirming companionships.” Role confusion ensues when the youth is unable to
formulate a sense of identity and belonging. Erikson held that delinquency, gender-
related identity disorders, and borderline psychotic episodes can result from such
confusion.
Sadock, Benjamin J.. Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral
Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry . LWW. Kindle Edition.+
Psychosocial Stage: Identity versus Role Confusion
The psychosocial theory proposed by Erik Erikson proposes eight stages that a healthy
person undergoes when developing from infancy to late adulthood (Knight, 2017). During each
stage, an individual experiences psychosocial crisis that can have positive or negative impacts on
his or her personality development (Robinson, 2013). The main reason why these crises rises is
due to the conflicting individual and societal needs. By successfully completing each stage, a
person develops a healthy personality and acquires basic virtues. However, failure to
successfully complete each stage will make it difficult for an individual to subsequent stages
(Knight, 2017). Moreover, an individual might develop an unhealthy personality. In this
discussion post, I will focus on stage 5 of psychosocial development.
Stage 5: Identity versus Role Confusion
Fifth stage is one of the most important psychosocial development stage. The fifth stage
of the psychosocial development of Erikson’s theory is identify vs confusion (Sadock, Sadock, &
Ruiz, 2014). According to the theory, the fifth stage occurs between 13 and 21 years. At this
stage, individuals are transitioning from childhood to adulthood (Kitchens & Abell, 2017). As a
result, individuals are attempting to develop their independence while at the same time
developing a sense of self. It is during this discovering stage that individuals learn their
adulthood roles (Sadock, Sadock, & Ruiz, 2014). To discover their personal identity and
develop their sense of self, adolescence tend to explore their personal beliefs, goals and values
(Kitchens & Abell, 2017). Erik Erikson suggest sexual and occupational identities as main types
of identities that individuals at this stage explore. It is due to the occurrences at the fifth stage
that make adolescents unpredictable and impulsive.
Successful completion of the fifth stage of psychosocial development will lead to the
development of fidelity virtue (Sadock, Sadock, & Ruiz, 2014). By definition, fidelity is simply
the ability to maintain loyalties (Brittian4&Lerner, 2013). Fidelity virtue emerges at the end of
adolescent. According to Aerika S. Brittian4and4Richard M. Lerner (2013), fidelity virtue
indicates that a stable identity has been achieved. According to Curtis Dunkel and Michelle
Denker (2008), fidelity enables individuals to commit to one’s self and to others, even in the
presents of differences. Through this virtue, an individual is able to sustain loyalties despite the
possible contradiction with the value systems. The development of fidelity virtue is characterized
by development of self-esteem and self-confidence.
The negative and positive forerunners of identify are role clarity verse role confusion as
well as sense of self vs identify confusion. Role clarity and sense of self occurs when one
successfully completes stage five. On the other hand, Failure to negotiate this stage leaves
individuals with identify diffusion or role confusion (Sadock, Sadock, & Ruiz, 2014).
According to Benjamin J. Sadock, Virginia A. Sadock and Pedro Ruiz (2014), role confusion and
identity diffusion are characterized by overt pyschosis, running away and criminality.
It is important to incorporate evaluation of developmental vulnerabilities in psychosocial
assessment. In essence, incorporating evaluation of development vulnerabilities in psychosocial
assessment will help in identification of gaps or problems that individuals are likely to develop in
every stage of development. As a result, the process of psychosocial assessment will be made
easier and effective.
References
Brittian,4A.4S., & Lerner,4R.4M. (2013). Early influences and later outcomes associated with
developmental trajectories of Eriksonian fidelity.4Developmental Psychology,449(4),
722-735. doi:10.1037/a0028323
Dunkel,4C., & Decker,4M. (2008). The Eriksonian Lifespan Theory as Life-History Theory: The
Stages of Identity Through Integrity.4PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e617962012-282
Kitchens,4R., & Abell,4S. (2017). Ego Identity Versus Role Confusion.4Encyclopedia of
Personality and Individual Differences, 1-4. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_581-1
Knight,4Z.4G. (2017). A proposed model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik
Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development.4Clinical Psychology &
Psychotherapy,424(5), 1047-1058. doi:10.1002/cpp.2066
Robinson,4O. (2013). Psychosocial Life Stages, Transitions and Crises.4Development Through
Adulthood, 128-156. doi:10.1007/978-1-137-29121-9_6
Sadock,4B.4J., Sadock,4V.4A., & Ruiz,4P. (2014).4Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral
Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry. Wolters Kluwer Health.
Main Post:
Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory was developed in 1950 and remains the
most influential theory of personality development today (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017). Erikson
described eight psychosocial developmental stages that individuals progress throughout their
life. Erikson’s final stage involves a reflection of life and results in ego integrity versus despair
(Goodcase & Love, 2017). Individuals who achieve integrity feel satisfied in their life, are
tolerant of others, and have found meaning in their lives while achieving life goals (Goodcase &
Love, 2017). Failure to reach this level of self-gratification can result in despair as they will likely
be unable to still achieve their life goals later in life (Goodcase & Love, 2017). Individuals who
exhibit despair have a significant amount of depression and likely exhibit poor societal
connectedness (Lineros & Fincher, 2014). As part of their despair they will also likely have low
self-confidence with a lack of perceived self-control over their destiny (Lineros & Fincher, 2014).
Understanding these life stressors and struggles can better prepare a practitioner to assess for
these as part of a comprehensive psychosocial assessment and this can also be a large
determinate as to the most appropriate treatment options. In screening for developmental
stages it is also important to assess for missed progression through age appropriate
developmental stages as this can manifest in psychological distress and further impair future
progressions of the subsequent developmental stages.
Dunkel, C. S., & Harbke, C. (2017). A Review of Measures of Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial
Development: Evidence for a General Factor. Journal of Adult Development, (1),
58.+https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-016-9247-4
Goodcase, E., & Love, H. (2017). From Despair to Integrity: Using Narrative Therapy for Older
Individuals in Erikson’s Last Stage of Identity Development. Clinical Social Work Journal, 45(4),
354–363.+https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-016-0601-6
Lineros, J. V., & Fincher, M. (2014). Erikson’s Development Crises: Applying Developmental
Theory to Adult Learning. Learning & Performance Quarterly, 2(3), 35–48. Retrieved
from+https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=125351281&site=eds-
live
Response:
I like your post.4Erikson states it is critical that parents allow their children to explore the limits
of their abilities within an encouraging environment which is tolerant of failure. For example,
rather than put on a child's clothes a supportive parent should have the patience to allow the child
to try until they succeed or ask for assistance. So, the parents need to encourage the child to
become more independent while at the same time protecting the child so that constant failure is
avoided (McLeod, 2018). A delicate balance is required from the parent. They must try not to do
everything for the child, but if the child fails at a particular task they must not criticize the child
for failures and accidents.
Erik Erikson believed if we see our lives as unproductive, feel guilty about our past, or feel that
we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair, often
leading to depression and hopelessness. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of4wisdom
(McAdams, 2015). Wisdom enables a person to look back on their life with a sense of closure
and completeness, and also accept death without fear. Wise people are not characterized by a
continuous state of ego integrity, but they experience both ego integrity and despair. Thus, late
life is characterized by both integrity and despair as alternating states that need to be balanced.
However, Erikson stressed his work was a ‘tool to think with rather than a factual analysis.’ Its
purpose then is to provide a framework within which development can be considered rather than
testable theory. One of the strengths of Erikson's theory is its ability to tie together important
psychosocial development across the entire lifespan (Gross & Humphreys, 2009).
References:
McLeod, S. A. (2018).4Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. Simply Psychology.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
McAdams, D. P. (2015).4The psychology of life stories.4Review of General Psychology, 5(2),
100.
Gross, R. D., & Humphreys, P. (2009).4Psychology: The science of mind and behaviour.
London: Hodder & Stoughton.
Post 2:
Erick Erickson uses eight stages of psychological development through which individuals
navigate through during life. These stages are commonly referred to when discussing the
personalities and psychological developments of patients or individuals in general. These
stages are Trust vs. Mistrust; Autonomy Vs. Doubt; Initiative Vs. Guilt; Industry Vs. Inferiority;
Identity Vs. Confusion; Intimacy Vs. Isolation; Generativity Vs. Self-absorption and lastly
Integrity Vs. Despair (Malone, Liu, Vaillant, Rentz, & Waldinger, 2016). Erickson theorized that
the consequences of not meeting developmental challenges during an individual’s psychological
developmental stages would lead to unfavorable outcomes.
Malone, Liu, Vaillant, Rentz, & Waldinger (2016), hypothesized that individuals classified as
having more successfully navigated through the psychosocial challenges outlined by Erikson in
midlife would manifest better psychological and cognitive health in their seventies and eighties.
They also mentioned that based on Erikson’s developmental Stages the idea that failure to
successfully negotiate these developmental tasks hinders emotional wellbeing, leading to
depression later on in life. Moreover, during the adulthood stage (ages 26-64 years old)+
Erickson classifies this stage as Generativity Vs. Stagnation this is the stage in which individuals
are their most productive stage. During this stage a person generates or better yet how I like to
call it, they plant so they can later or in life enjoy the fruit of their labor. As I previously stated,
failure to do so will generate a sense of lack of accomplishment in the future.+
Furthermore, to better explain the importance of incorporating the evaluation of developmental
vulnerabilities within your holistic, psychosocial assessment documentation is it necessary to
mention that Erickson continued to develop his stages by identifying eight virtues and strengths
and either maladaptations and malignancies that could arise from each stage of development.
During adulthood he calls these virtues for adulthood: Care and Production and that failure to
maladapt would cause overextension or rejectivity( Gould, & Howson, 2019).+
To conclude, to better treat our patients or clients it would be beneficial to identify in which
Erickson’s Stage our clients are. For instance, the concept of psychiatric recovery includes the
hopeful notion that, when progress towards living well may slow down or stop, it is a temporary
situation. How far one has advanced on Erikson’s schema for human development premorbid
plays a role in how much work is necessary to advance (Vogel-Scibilia, 2009). Recovery is just
one of the many instances in which the Erickson Stages can be used.
References
Malone, J. C., Liu, S. R., Vaillant, G. E., Rentz, D. M., & Waldinger, R. J. (2016). Midlife
Eriksonian psychosocial development: Setting the stage for late-life cognitive and emotional
health. Developmental psychology, 52(3), 496–508. doi:10.1037/a0039875
Gould, M., & Howson, A. (2019). Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development. Salem Press
Encyclopedia. Retrieved from+https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ers&AN=89185456&site=eds-live
Vogel-Scibilia, S. E., McNulty, K. C., Baxter, B., Miller, S., Dine, M., & Frese, F. J., 3rd (2009).
The recovery process utilizing Erikson's stages of human development. Community mental
health journal, 45(6), 405–414. doi:10.1007/s10597-009-9189-4
Response:
I agree with you that Erickson theorized that the consequences of not meeting developmental
challenges during an individual’s psychological developmental stages would lead to unfavorable
outcomes. Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development are based on (and expand upon)
Freud’s psychosexual theory (Gould & Howson, 2019). Erikson proposed that we are motivated
by the need to achieve competence in certain areas of our lives. According to psychosocial
theory, we experience eight stages of development over our lifespan, from infancy through late
adulthood. At each stage there is a crisis or task that we need to resolve. Successful completion
of each developmental task results in a sense of competence and a healthy4personality. Failure to
master these tasks leads to feelings of inadequacy (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017).
Caregivers who are sensitive and responsive to their baby’s basic needs, such as food and shelter,
help their baby develop a sense of security. When these babies learn that they will receive the
care they need when they need it, they begin to feel safe and learn to trust the people around
them. On the other hand, caregivers who are unresponsive to their baby’s needs can cause their
baby to view this “new world” as unreliable and unpredictable. These babies may develop a
sense of anxiety and mistrust, which will affect how they interact with others as they grow up.
Erikson also added to Freud’s stages by discussing the cultural implications of development;
certain cultures may need to resolve the stages in different ways based upon their cultural and
survival needs (Goodcase & Love, 2017).
References:
Gould, M., & Howson, A. (2019). Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development. Salem Press
Encyclopedia. Retrieved from4https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=ers&AN=89185456&site=eds-live
Dunkel, C. S., & Harbke, C. (2017). A Review of Measures of Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial
Development: Evidence for a General Factor. Journal of Adult Development, (1),
58.4https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-016-9247-4
Goodcase, E., & Love, H. (2017). From Despair to Integrity: Using Narrative Therapy for Older
Individuals in Erikson’s Last Stage of Identity Development. Clinical Social Work Journal,
45(4), 354–363.4https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-016-0601-6
