Preparation Imani is 43 years old and wants to make some life changes. She is un
ID: 3489595 • Letter: P
Question
Preparation
Imani is 43 years old and wants to make some life changes. She is unhappy with her career in marketing and with her relationship status. She was divorced five years ago from Robert, whom she met during her senior year of college. They had delayed marriage until after Robert finished medical school, and were married when Imani was 27. They had discussed having children, but Robert never felt that the time was right. Even though Imani feels alone, she is not comfortable dating. She would like to go back to school, but is not sure what career she is interested in. Plus, she has been spending a great deal of time taking care of her aging mother, with whom she has had a strained relationship over the years. Lately, she has been thinking something is wrong with her. The kind of identity issues she is facing seem more typical of a teenager, not a 43-year-old woman. She is beginning to withdraw and to feel lonely. She feels like she has failed compared to acquaintances who are married, have children, and seem to be enjoying their careers.
Directions Using the case Study above, identify a developmental theory (such as attachment, cognitive development, moral development, or psychosocial development) and apply the theory to understanding the person in the scenario. 1). Provide an overview of the developmental theory in psychology you have chosen. 2). Describe the stage or stages of the theory that are most applicable to the current phase of life described in the scenario. (For example, in Erikson's psychosocial development theory, a child who is four years old is in the stage of Initiative versus Guilt). Describe the stage of life in some detail, according to the theory. 3). Discuss how the theory helps us to better understand this particular person and his or her concerns at this point in life.
Explanation / Answer
1). Provide an overview of the developmental theory in psychology you have chosen:
The most applicable theory of development to understand Imani’s life situations is Erik Ericson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. The theory was developed on basis that all humans have a unique identity with common traits that are inherited or acquired through learning/experiences, but all these characteristics are affected and shaped with the influence of social and environmental factors; all of them culminating into development of a person’s unique identity.
There are eight stages in Erikson’s psychosocial development, based on the condition that at each stage of our lives we are faced with a crisis and therefore we need to find resolution for the same, to overcome the crisis. However if we cannot resolve or face the crisis it significantly affects our psychosocial development with an unhealthy personality. Successful resolution of crisis helps in moving to the next stage and in our psychosocial growth and a healthy personality.
Also if there are issues at any stages, it reduces the ability to complete the other stages; however people can resolve those later in their life. It is one theory that describes stages with applicability to different ages from infancy to late adulthood/ old age. The eight stages are described briefly below:
1. Infancy -18 months is the stage of Trust v/s Mistrust
This stage relates to the development of trust and how it carries forward in other relationships in later life. If there is good care given with presence and help during crisis, the child learns to trust the world and people around while in cases of harsh on unpredictable behaviors by care givers, the child develops mistrust and will have issues related to insecurities and anxieties due to uncertainties received with relations in the future.
2. 18 months – 3years is the stage of Autonomy v/s Shame & Doubt
In this stage when the child is exploring and learning to do things themselves the parent should act as a motivator and also an aide only in difficulty and to avoid repeated failure, in order to promote autonomy/ independence and a positive sense of self. There needs to be a patience and balance on when to intervene and when not to, while if there is high level of criticism or over-dependence by doing everything for the child, the child will be more dependent and develop a low self esteem due to the effects of criticism.
3. 3 years- 5 years is the stage of Initiative v/s Guilt
Here the child learns and develops to take initiatives, making plans and helping lead others, with proper guidance and support from parents, the child will develop a sense of worth and sense of being able to lead others and take initiatives. While when the child is stopped or treated more of a burden or nuisance, the child may feel dejected and develop guilt that they are a burden and shouldn’t be leading, just following.
Some sense of guilt is required to protect the child, when in their excitement or seeking novelty they over cross the limits, there needs to be some source of punishment to incur guilt, this will later help in self-limiting themselves and crossing the line.
4. 5 years- 13 years is the stage of Industry v/s Inferiority
This stage is about a sense of competence and showcasing to the world about their achievements and skills they think are approved and some demanded by the society. The appraisal and support during this stage makes the child believe in their ability to have skills and potentials to reach and complete their goals. However negations can lead to self-doubt and not reaching one’s true potential, and a sense of inferiority from the rest. There needs to be failure in order to learn the balance and lessons of modesty.
5 .13 years- 21 years is the stage of Identity v/s Role Confusion
This stage is reassessment of one’s ideas, beliefs, etc and merging of sexual and occupational identity. It is the stage of learning to adjust with the growth changes, as well as thinking about the future in terms of career, relationships, work, etc. It is an exploration stage and learning of one’s self identity and roles as part of society, if there is a push or force towards a certain identity adaptation or confusion in what one is expected or need to do, there will be role confusion and identity crisis which will affect the ability to develop a positive self identity and growth. It will also affect how one take’s on people, differences and fidelity towards oneself and others.
6. 21 years- 39 years is the stage of Intimacy v/s Isolation
This stage is development and exploration towards long term partners/ companions to who we connect intimately and develop a sense of care, love, commitment and safety within relationships. Issues at this stage leads to feeling of sadness, loneliness and isolation from the world.
7. 40 years- 55 years is the stage of Generativity v/s Stagnation
This is the phase where we are at a more settled position, with more clarity in life and we try and give back to the society through children upbringing, helping in development of the work organization, other community or charitable activities to achieve a sense of productiveness or generativity. While issues with accomplishing such expected roles lead to stagnation and feeling of being not worth and thoroughly unproductive.
8.65 years & older is the stage of Ego Integrity v/s Despair
The final stage is we tend to become unproductive with settling in as the new changes occur. If we have developed a sense of being productive, being contributing, have had achieved and played our path we have an ego integrity or sense of closure and acceptance of oneself. However if we have issues and felt not to be able to do much and faced a lot of issues with what happened during the years, we develop a sense of despair and loneliness over the same, leading to also a sense of fear of death as there is a sense of incompleteness in life, and death smells of end without closure.
2). Describe the stage or stages of the theory that are most applicable to the current phase of life described in the scenario.Describe the stage of life in some detail, according to the theory.
3). Discuss how the theory helps us to better understand this particular person and his or her concerns at this point in life.
The theory helps us to thoroughly understand Imani’s dilemma and current situation with correct focus on what resolutions will be helpful in leading towards better growth and progress.
At the stage 7 of psychosocial development which related to generativity v/s stagnation and is about being productive in work, relationship, community and other aspects with a sense of certain stability, Imani has had issues and feels unproductive as she doesn’t have any children, while she is also divorce and facing a career dilemma with change in career. These all aspects make her feel hopeless and unproductive as also in society where her friends are settled and have babies; she doesn’t feel apt as she has nothing that seems settled and productive.
She takes care of her ailing mother and is averse dating even though her divorce has been 5 years prior to now. She had strained relationship with her mother but takes care of her, as she feels at this stage that it’s an obligation and expectation of the society and sign of being productive, however all this affects her sense of caring as she feels rather forced. This also shows that she might have faced issues during stage 5 & 6 due to her mother and the kind of relationship she shared. As she mentions issues with her mother over the years, during her phase of building a self identity and role expectation , her mother might have been critical and harsh, or absent which lead to her facing issues with what was expected of her and low self esteem, with confusion in her identity and identity crisis. Therefore also in terms of a career switch as she couldn’t resolves crisis and impact of strained relationship with her mother , at this stages she still faces an identity crisis with no integration of sexual or occupational roles leading to a sense of despair, confusion, loneliness and hopelessness.
In terms of dating also she is keeping herself isolated as it indicated issues in stage 6. She had a divorced, had no children although she wanted to, with a late marriage due to his ex-husbands medical school, and therefore she dint receive the love and close bond from the relationship, which usually is the reason of success in that stages. She faced loneliness even with him and with no children leading to her sense of sadness and isolation from relationships. This is probably the reason why she might not be dating and keeping herself isolated, as she lacked love and care during that stage of her life. Also in terms of her mother and strained relationship with her, the inability to form intimate and trusting relationships might be hampered and hence the feeling of loneliness.
From the stages and her brief description, more information on her relation with her mother and other social factors while growing up, there can be better understanding on Imani and also aiding in development of a successful therapeutic plan.