Understanding Life Transitions

Transitions and Biopsychosocial Development

Transitions

A transition is the period of growth between stages in life

They represent a process of change

They indicate a need for change, or personal transformation

Transitions

All people go through transitions – whether they want to or not

Some transitions are a part of our development through life

Others occur when we are faced with some kind of adversity

Transitions

Transitions always require us to use skills we learned in the past

They also task us to learn new skills that allow us to move forward

They can lead to grief

They always create a desire to want life to “go back to the way things were”

Transitions

Transitions begin with endings

Transitions do not have a clearly defined end

One may have many transitions at once

However, some are somewhat predictable

By understanding life’s common developmental stages – and challenges – you will gain an understanding of how earlier stages of personality development influence the choices you continue to make in life

Journal Assignment

Journal Entry: Can you describe a time of transition in your life, or in the life of someone you know? What was it like? How did it start? How did it end? Did it end????

Please make connections to the PowerPoint in your response.

Biopsychosocial Development

What does this mean !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

“BIO” represents your biological development

“PYCHO” literally means “soul” and refers to your psychological development

Developmental Stages

Many have defined developmental stages in life

The most popular is Erikson’s model (Biopsychosocial theory)

Each stage is define by tasks to resolve a crisis that one must accomplish before successfully moving onto the next stage

Biopsychosocial Development

“SOCIAL” refers to your place in society and your social development

Development means change over time

Put it all together and you get a larger picture of development through life

Developmental Stages

In this case a crisis refers to a turning point or transition in life

If each task is not mastered, there can be potential problems in personality development – we can call this “unfinished business”

The stages are as follows:

Developmental Stages

Infancy Early Childhood Preschool Middle Childhood Adolescence Early Adulthood Middle Adulthood Late Middle-Age Late Adulthood

Infancy

Birth to age 1

Task = develop a sense of trust in self, others and the environment

Struggle between trust vs mistrust

The central process (or needed experience) at this stage involves receiving needed warmth and attention so the child will learn this trust

Without it; fear, inadequacy, and insecurity will develop (the core pathology – or “big problem”)

Early Childhood

Ages 1 to 3

Most critical developmental task is to begin journey toward autonomy (self reliance)

Core struggle is autonomy vs shame and doubt

Progress from care from others to taking care of own needs through interaction and imitation (central process)

Early Childhood cont’d

Increase understanding of interdependence and emotional competence (includes patience)

If not mastered, feelings of doubt about their own abilities will emerge (core pathology)

Parents should avoid doing too much for children during this time and be accepting of negative feelings unless they learn to deny their unacceptable feelings later on

Preschool

Ages 3 to 6

Seek to find out what they can do

Core struggle is initiative vs guilt

Developmental tasks include: learning how to give and receive love and affection, basic attitude regarding sexuality, and learn more complex social skills

Preschool cont’d

The basic task is to develop a sense of competence and initiative

With realistic freedom to choose own activities and decisions they tend to develop positive orientation shown by confidence in their ability to initiate and follow through

If too restricted, children will develop a sense of guilt and withdraw from life

Middle Childhood (“tweens”)

Ages 6 to 12

Core struggle is called industry vs inferiority

Developmental task is to develop a sense of industry to avoid feelings of inadequacy through skill learning, friendships, team play.

Middle Childhood (“tweens”)

Children expand view of world and develop an appropriate gender-role identity

Developing industry includes creating goals and working to accomplish them

The central process to accomplish these tasks is education

Failure to do so can result in feelings of worthlessness affecting relationships with peers, negative self-concept, dependency, fear of new challenges and lack of initiative

Adolescence

Ages 12 to 20

Core struggle: identity vs identity confusion

Focus is to develop a sense of who you are, where you are going, and how you are getting there accomplished through association (the central process)

Integrate physical and social changes

Adolescence cont’d

Developmental tasks include rapid body changes, intimate and emotional relationships, develop sexual identity, develop a philosophy of life and spirituality and understand self in relation to others

A major part of forming identity is separation from family – this is called individuation and can be very “unfun” for everyone (this is whne you “rebel”)

The core pathology is dissociation – separation from others

Early Adulthood

Ages 20 – 35

Core struggle: intimacy vs isolation

The central process is the ability to form intimate relationships depends largely on having a clear sense of self and ability to mutually express needs between adults

Early Adulthood cont’d

Developmental tasks include: Intimate relationships, childbearing, work/career choice, and establishing a lifestyle

Failure to achieve intimacy often results in isolation from others and a sense of alienation (the core pathology)

The major aim is to engage in intimate relationships and find satisfying work

There is movement from learning about yourself to knowing yourself

Early Adulthood cont’d

The process of growth toward this stage begins in early childhood and continues throughout life

Any “unfinished business” from previous developmental levels will contribute to pathology

Middle Adulthood

Ages 35 – 55

Core struggle: generativity vs stagnation

A challenge is to recognize accomplishments and accept limitations

Developmental tasks include: Fostering children, establishing and nurturing meaningful relationships, managing a career and household

Middle Adulthood (cont’d)

Core pathology: A problem can be to fail achieving a sense of productivity resulting in feelings of stagnation and rejection of self or others

Mid-life crisis may occur and can lead to depression; Some may see their visions have not come to pass

Late Middle Age

Ages 55 to 70

Core Struggle: Integrity vs. despair

Developmental tasks include: accepting one’s life, keeping the brain up to speed, exploring new roles, developing a point of view about death

Many adults are beginning to consider retirement, pursuing new interests, or and thinking more about the rest of their lives

Late Middle Age cont’d

Central Process: A challenge here is coming to the reality that

not everything could be done

Emphasis must be placed on letting go of some dreams, accepting limitations, and focusing on what they can do

A lot of reflecting, refocusing, re-evaluating to consider new directions

Late Adulthood

Ages 70 onward

Core struggle: Immortality vs Extinction

Developmental tasks include:accepting one’s life, keeping the brain up to speed, exploring new roles, developing a point of view about death; coping with physical changes of aging, reflection of life, entering new challenges faces as we age

Late Adulthood cont’d

complete a life review where we put our life into perspective; come to terms with who we are and what we have done

Spirituality may take open greater importance Central process is social support People who maintain integrity are able to accept they

have been productive and they have coped with whatever failures they’ve made

Core pathology: those who fall into despair perceive the opposite and generally wish to relive certain parts of their lives. Themes include loneliness, isolation, uselessness, hopelessness, grief, fear of death and dying

Reference

Corey and Corey (2007). Becoming a Helper Fifth Edition. Belmont, CA: Thompson.