For this client system assessment, I have chosen a client I engaged with while at work, my client’s name is Keith. Keith is 34 years old and has had many unfortunate circumstances surrounding his life, beginning with his birth. Keith’s family system consists of himself, his mother and two step siblings. Keith was unfortunately the product of a rape, witnessed repeated domestic abuse situations with his mother’s boyfriends and husbands, was abused himself and to this day, Keith continues to suffer in all domains: emotionally, mentally and physically. I will assess Keith’s family system as well as Keith as an individual utilizing Erikson’s Psychological Stages of Development, Bowman’s Family System Theory and Marcia’s Identity Status Model.
Erikson’s Psychological Stages of Development
Erik Erikson’s theory is based on eight psychological stages of development. For the purpose of Keith’s assessment, only six stages of development are appropriate for Keith and his family at this time. Trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion and intimacy vs. isolation will be addressed in this paper.
Trust vs. Mistrust
Atalay (2007) states “the amount of trust derived from earliest infantile experience does not seem to depend on absolute quantities of food or demonstrations of love, but rather on the quality of the maternal relationship” (pg. 17). Keith was born a product of rape, to a mother who was a virgin before being raped. Prewitt (2010) states “Pregnancy from rape occurs with “significant frequency.” Of the estimated 12% of adult women in the United States that have experienced at least one rape in their lifetime, 4.7% of these rapes result in pregnancy” (pg. 82...
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People change over time, and no past history sets the future in stone. Developmentalists divide life into different segments based on age known as growth stages (Berger, 2009). Each stage affects the others causing development at every stage to build upon the other (Berger, 2009). Development does not follow a straight line, it instead moves up and down, back and forth, and it moves at different speeds (Berger, 2009). Although there are several theories of development, and it would be remiss to subscribe to only one; however for the purpose of this paper, I will focus on Erik Erikson’s Theory of Initiative versus Guilt; Industry versus Inferiority; and Identity versus Role Confusion. I also prefer to take an eclectic approach in the application of counseling theories and techniques; however for the purpose of this paper I will utilize three different therapies for each stage of development.
Ward, H. et al, 2012. Safeguarding babies and very young children from abuse and neglect. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. P 205.
Erickson’s Theory has 8 stages (Schriver, 2011). The following text will give the developmental crisis of each stage and relate it to Shannon’s life personally. In Erikson’s Theory developmental crisis “did not mean an impending catastrophe as much as it meant “a turning point, a crucial period of increased vulnerability and heightened potential”” (Schriver, 2011). The first stage of Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development is Trust vs. mistrust (0-1 year) and its crisis is “in establishing trust” (Schriver, 2011). Shannon had developed trust early on in her life due to the loving, caring, and nurturing home she grew up in. She had a sense of physical comfort which eliminated fear and allowed trust. The second stage is Autonomy vs. shame (1-3 years) and the crisis is “parental restrictions vs. autonomy” (Schriver, 2011). Growing up Shannon started learning to walk at 11 months which is a normal age for children to emerge into that. Due to her parents being supportive, it allowed Shannon to start exploring her curiosities and still be loved while doing so. The third stage is Initiative vs. guilt (3-6 years) and the crisis is “in taking initiative without experiencing guilt” (Schriver, 2011). This again correlates to the supportiveness of Shannon’s parents which allows her to be her own person and encourages her to experience her life in her own way. The fourth stage is Industry vs. inferiority (6-12 years) and the crisis is “in striving for competence” (Schriver, 2011). Shannon had a great group of friends growing up and that gave her the inclusion she needed to feel equal to her peers and not inferior to anyone. The fifth stage is Identity vs. role confusion and the crisis is “uncertainty about the future and the child’s role in it” (Schriver, 2011). At this time in Shannon’s life she had already strengthened her hope (trust), will, purpose, and
As a Child Protective worker, my responsibilities are to assess safety (immediate), risk (future harm), abuse and maltreatment, and make a determination as to whether a child is safe or at risk of future harm and assess the need for services. The child welfare worker assigned to investigate the case failed to ensure the above. Works Cited Downs-Whitelaw, S., Moore, E., & McFadden, E. J. (2009). The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'.
Eric Erikson was one of the most famous theorists of the twentieth century; he created many theories. One of the most talked about theories is his theory of psychosocial development. This is a theory that describes stages in which an individual should pass as they are going through life. His theory includes nine stages all together. The original theory only included eight stages but Erikson‘s wife found a ninth stage and published it after his death. The nine stages include: trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. identity confusion, intimacy vs. isolation, generativity vs. stagnation, integrity vs. despair, and hope and faith vs. despair (Crandell and Crandell, p.35-36)).
Erik Erikson developed eight psychosocial stages that occur through life. These stages help parents of younger children understand what the child is thinking and why they are acting the way that they do. For a person to become a well-rounded adult they need to succeed in each level. This essay will discuss the first six stages into young adulthood.
Pro-life believers do not support the idea of an abortion, but what after being raped? The decision on whether to keep the baby after such a horrific matter varies women around us. While some women believe it is best to keep the baby, supporting the idea that the baby is part of them, others do not want to be constantly reminded of the rape with a baby that can possibly have the exact image as their rapist. According to Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthar, “… it would be immensely difficult for a woman to be comfortable with a child born out of such a traumatic experience” (51). Not a single person should be forced to have a baby they did not decide to have. The individual did not choose to be raped. Some pro-life supporters may suggest adoption, but what if it wasn’t that easy? A pro-life defender does not take in consideration the age of the victim. When thinking about a victim of rape, the first idea that comes to each of our minds is a young woman in high school or out of school, b...
Rape is among the more horrific violations of human dignity imaginable. It is a crime committed by the male, not the female—and certainly not by the child it might produce. When rape results in pregnancy, the baby has the same right to life as any child born by mutually loving parents. Only the Nazis would execute a child for the crimes of his or her father.
Erikson believed that people develop in psychosocial stages. He emphasized developmental change throughout the human life span. In Erikson's theory, eight stages of development result as we go through the life span. Each stage consists of a crisis that must be faced. According to Erikson, this crisis is not a catastrophe but a turning point. The more an individual resolves the crises successfully, the healthier development will be.
Thomson recognizes that this thought experiment has a very limited application – specifically to those instances where a pregnancy is the result of coercion or violence. In the sec...
The Purpose of this Paper The purpose of this paper is to apply two developmental concepts, as proposed by Erikson, to the real life experiences of Joe Smith. This paper will emphasize the influence of social structures expressed as risk or protective factors and any traumatic experiences that have shaped their developmental outcomes. Concept #1 will include an exploration of Joe’s psychosocial development during puberty, tied in with Erikson's fifth stage of development: identity versus identity confusion. Concept #2 will include an exploration of Joe’s psychosocial development in middle adulthood, tied in with Erikson's seventh stage of development: generativity versus stagnation.
Erik H. Erikson was a significant psychologist that greatly changed the field of child development. In the 1950’s, Erikson advanced a Freudian approach in development. He viewed that social development as a series of eight challenges that people have to overcome. Each challenge has an outcome that’s either favorable or unfavorable. The outcome drastically affects a person’s personality. For example, in a favorable outcome, the result can leave a positive feeling. With a positive outlook, it’s easier for a person to cope with challenges in life. An unfavorable outcome can leave a person at a disadvantaged for the future. During the first couple challenges, Erikson believed that the caregiver has a great impact on a child’s development (Romero).
Psychosocial development is development on a social realm. Psychosocial development is how one develops their mind, maturity level, and emotions over the course of one’s life. The rate of development depends on different factors such as biological processes as well as environmental factors. A man named Erik Erikson who was a psychoanalyst who believed that early childhood successes and failures were responsible for influencing later developmental stages developed this theory. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development is based around the theory that social experience has an impact over an entire lifespan. There are eight stages developmental stages of development in the psychosocial theory and I will briefly examine all eight stages in this
A woman who becomes pregnant as a result of either getting rape or incest is the victim of a horribly violent and morally reprehensible crime. But that does not give the woman the right to kill the baby, because they will have to live with reality of knowing that father of the unborn child raped her. If a woman is raped and becomes pregnant by the rapist she has the option of giving the child up for adoption. Adoption is a great option because the baby can be given to an infertile
Erik Erikson was a developmental psychologist known for his theory on psychosocial development. Unlike other theorists of his time Erikson’s theory focused on human development across the lifespan from birth to late adulthood. Erickson believed that development change occurs through out our lives in eight distinctive stages that emerge in a fixed pattern and are similar for all people. Erickson argued that each stage presents a crisis or conflict which results in either a positive or negative outcome (Feldman). In this essay I will identify incidents in my own life that demonstrate each stage of development according to Erickson that I have lived through. I will also interview my Aunt Tami who will share her experiences for the remainder stages of Erickson’s development that I have not gone through thus far.