Introduction
For the purpose of this observation, I will be referencing Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. According to Berger (2014), psychosocial development is defined by eight developmental stages in which a child undergoes a challenge, or “crisis,” specific to that stage. I will address the stages that are appropriate to the developmental age of the child I chose to observe in my assessment section. While I do not agree with a lot of psychoanalytic theory as it applies to adolescents and adults, I think Erikson correctly identifies the basic drives that motivate early childhood. Differing from traditional Freudian theory, Erikson places a greater emphasis on the role of family and relationships in early development and focuses away from Freud’s sexual influences. My personal views on child development and mental health focus on the crucial role of family in developing the whole child and I felt that this theory would best allow me to delve further into that area of interest as I proceed through my observations.
Erikson outlines eight stages of development. Between each stage, the child undergoes a transition that Shonkoff and Phillips (2000) define as periods of intense change in how a child interacts with their environment. These periods of change involve the child coming to terms with the challenge that Erikson has defined as the major point of conflict for that age. Comstock (2005) clearly describes the 8 stages of Erikson’s psychosocial theory. The first stage is characterized by the struggle of “Trust vs. Mistrust” in which an infant (birth to a year) must either develop a safe and trusting relationship with their primary caregiver, where they know that their needs will be met, or end up with a relationship of mistrust where the child is unsure of when they will receive comfort or care. From this stage, the infant child heads into the toddler years (1 to 3 years) and must work through “Autonomy vs. Shame...