HUMAN STAGES OF
PSYCHOSOCIAL
DEVELOPMENT
Social Work Across the Life Span
Prenatal (Ages: Conception to
Birth)
◻
Development mostly physical
◻
Assessed medically
Infancy (Ages: Birth – 3 Years)
◻
Psychosocial Development – Trust vs. Mistrust
◻
Virtue/Characteristic of age – Hope
◻
Life begins with deciding who to trust for your
care from ages 0 to 1.5. Life is completely
dependent on others and requires constant
love and attention.
Early Childhood (1.5 – 3 Years)
◻
◻
◻
Psychosocial Development – Autonomy vs.
Shame
Virtue/Characteristic – Will
Children here begin to explore their world and
learn about basic independence. Children
learn about their skills and abilities daily. This is
also the age of potty training and an expanse
in vocabulary and speech.
Preschool (Ages: 3 – 5 Years)
◻
Psychosocial Development – Initiative vs. Guilt
◻
Virtue/Characteristic – Purpose
◻
At this stage, children do most learning and
growing through play. Friendship, imagination,
and play are vital tools to help a child build
interpersonal skills and decision-making skills.
Middle Childhood (Ages: 5 –12
Years)
◻
◻
◻
Psychosocial Development – Industry
(competence) vs. Inferiority
Virtue/Characteristic – Competency
Children begin the learning years and become
trained in schools. Children feel the need to win
approval by demonstrating specific
competencies that are valued by society.
Adolescence (Ages: 13- 18
Years)
◻
◻
◻
Psychosocial Development – Identity vs. Role
Confusion
Virtue/Characteristic – Fidelity
Individuals begin to desire finding their “place” in
the world that they fit into. Individuals are exposed
to, and learn about, different roles that exist in the
world. Body image can begin to change here and
individuals may feel unhappy about their
characteristics, features, and virtues.
Young Adult (18 – 40 Years)
◻
◻
◻
Psychosocial Development – Intimacy vs.
Isolation
Virtue/Characteristic – Love
Individuals begin to solidify who they are and
what they believe their role to be. Individuals
also begin to explore, and develop, close and
intimate relationships. Commitment and safety
with a partner are the goals here.
Adulthood (40 – 65 Years)
◻
◻
◻
Psychosocial Development – Generativity vs.
Stagnation
Virtue/Characteristic – Care
Individuals in this stage begin to establish
careers and settle down with home and family
life. Being productive, involved, and giving
back to the community become the goals at
this stage.
Older Adulthood (65+)
◻
Broken into 3 groups:
⬜ Young Old 65 - 74
⬜ Old Old 75-84
⬜ Oldest Old 84+
◻
◻
◻
Psychosocial Development – Ego Integrity vs.
Despair
Virtue/Characteristic – Wisdom
At this stage, individuals contemplate what
their life has meant and what their
accomplishments mean. People develop
integrity if they feel they lived a successful life.
Mrs. Harjo and Tony: Mrs. Harjo is 65 year old female who identifies as Latina. She lives in
Globe, Arizona, and subsists on Supplemental Security Income, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps), and her garden. Mrs. Harjo has been
living alone since the death of her husband five years ago. She is the daughter of Mexican
immigrants, and visits her hometown in Mexico for Semana Santa every other year. Mrs. Harjo
identifies as Catholic by has not participated in organized religion since the age of 14, when she
relocated to Globe, AZ.
A paternal grandson, Tony (age 13), recently moved in with Mrs. Harjo following his mother's
death from cirrhosis of the liver due to alcoholism. Tony's biological father is serving five years
in prison on a second conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia, a class six felony in
Arizona (https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03415.htm) . Tony's biological parents were never
married, and his mother did not obtain a legal divorce from her first husband. When Tony was
born, the hospital registrar accidentally listed the first husband as the legal father on his birth
certificate.
Mrs. Harjo went to Tony's school to give notice of a change of address and to put her name on
file as guardian and emergency contact. School officials pointed out that Tony was not legally
related to Mrs. Harjo, and that therefore she had no authority to authorize medical care, or to
enroll Tony in school.
The principal referred Mrs. Harjo to an attorney, where she appealed for help in getting Tony's
paternity corrected. The attorney advised that the biological father adopt Tony in order to change
the legal parent, but refused to take the case because Tony's father was incarcerated, and the
likelihood of an adoption by an incarcerated parent was too low (Garcia, Bain, Avera, Armenta,
2005).
Tony’s grades have dipped to a C average (he typically earns A’s and B’s) since the death of his
mother. He is on the freshman baseball team, and cites this as one of his favorite activities, but
will be barred from playing should his grades continue to decline. Tony has no specific academic
interests but wants to remain eligible to play baseball. Teachers report that Tony has always been
quiet, but has had difficulty concentrating in school since his mother' death two months ago.
Three months ago, he suffered a knee injury playing baseball and is slowly returning to practice,
and was prescribed Percocet (an opioid) for the severed pain. Tony complains that he still has
lingering pain and continues to take the prescribed Purcocet. He also shared a few of his pain
killers with a friend.
Mrs. Harjo followed up with the principal for a recommendation to get Tony in to see a
counselor, but has not received a reply. She is unsure where to go to find something she might be
able to afford.Tony has no known medical issues, and has seen a doctor regularly. Tony reports
he does not remember the last time he has seen a dentist, and is worried that he may need braces.
The Community of Globe, AZ
The total population of Globe, AZ, located in Gila County, was 7,532 according to the latest
census in 2010. The following tables will give you an idea of the demographics in the
community of Globe. Major industries in Globe include mining- specifically copper- which
employed 20% of the population. There is one fire department, and one public library.
(http://www.globeaz.gov/visitors/information)
(http://globemiamichamber.com)
Information Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/
Age
AZ - Globe city
Male
3,736
Female
3,796
Under 18
1,764
18 and
over
5,768
20-24
406
25-34
804
35-49
1,367
50 -64
1,622
65 & over
1,382
Race
White
5,993
African American
69
Asian
85
AIAN
430
NHPI
9
Some Other Race
722
Two or more
Races
224
Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino
2,775
Not Hispanic or
Latino
4,757
Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/
Discussion 4: Social Work across the Lifespan
This discussion relates to this week's learning objective: Examining Child welfare
policies and social worker roles. Identify older adult development in societal context.
Discuss skills used in gerontology, school, and child social work.
The purpose of this discussion is to help you evaluate how a client's developmental
stage impacts their roles, expectations, and attitudes. Additionally, you will become
more familiar with how society regards people in certain life stages and places
expectations on them. You will also begin to identify skills, values, and roles that
social workers play across the life-span. You will be expected to apply course
concepts to your client's case.
Prompt
First read the Harjo Case Study . Also read through the supplemental information
on the city of Globe .
Address the following questions in your response:
1. Based on Tony’s biological age, in what stage of human development is he? Cite
the specific stage in Erikson's Human Development theory. How is Tony’s human
developmental stage relevant to the case? What unique ethical concerns arise
during your client's stage, and how would you address them? (Hint: Ch7 Talks about
birth - 18. See the handout in the module for Erikson's stages of development. )
2. What are two social welfare programs (Macro Social Work) that your textbook
mentioned that you think could help the Harjo family based on their presenting
problems and needs? Why did you select these two programs? (Consult and use
your course textbook for specific social policies/programs. Hint: Ch 7, 8, and 11 have
some specific policies/programs, as does the rest of the textbook.)
3. Based on Ms. Harjo’s biological age, in what stage of human development is she?
Cite the specific stage in Erikson's Human Development theory. What kinds of
attitudes does the public display toward people who are in the same human
developmental stage as your Ms. Harjo?
4. How could you help Ms. Harjo navigate the attitudes and expectations she faces
from society?
5. What is one question that you have about your case study/client and its relation to
this week’s module material?
Posts should be no less than 300 words and no more than 500 words.
Peer Reply
Please ensure that you respond to at least one peer in addition to your own post! Peer
responses are expected to be a minimum of 100 words. Be sure to include critical thinking
and thoughtful feedback in your response to ensure you earn the full amount of points in
your post.
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