Case Study Using Eriksonian Framework

Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development is a perspective that traces personality development across the lifespan, stressing societal and cultural influences on the ego at each of eight fixed states. Each stage involves a turning point or crisis in personality having to do with a major conflict.

The eight Eriksonian crises emerge in a predetermined order according to a maturational timetable. According to Erikson, healthy ego development involves making adjustments to the demands of the particular crisis characteristic of each stage of life. If the conflict is not satisfactorily resolved, the individual will continue to struggle with it and healthy ego development will be impeded.

Success at each stage is said to require arriving at a balance between a positive trait (e.g. trust) and a negative trait (e.g. mistrust) with the positive trait evidencing some predominance. Success

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lves. If the crisis is handled successful, the virtue of will emerges in the sense that children learn to make their own decisions and to use self-restraint. The key issues at this stage is the development of self-regulation and self-control versus external regulation and control. It can be noted that Erikson gives a place for shame and doubt in children's learning, noting that it is neither safe nor healthy for them to have unlimited liberty. They need a certain amount of self-doubt to recognize what they are not yet ready to do as well as a sense of shame to help them learn to live by reasonable rules. This is a stage where children need adults to set limits. Too few or too many limits may make children compulsive about controlling themselves; and fear of losing self-control may fill them with inhibitions, doubt, shame, and loss of self-esteem. Peter G.'s strong grades in school and his good work at his job suggests that he may have successfully weathered this crisis. His mother reported that his biological father was rather strict with him which would make successfully passing through this crisis more difficult and has, no doubt, left him with a certain degree of shame and doubt as well as the low self-esteem but app
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Approximate Word count = 1904
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)