Psychosocial Development of Children: A Case Study of Andrew

Running head: NURSING
Nursing
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1NURSING
Introduction
Young children and infant learn about their world with the help of the psychosocial
development. The following assessment attempts to explore the psychosocial development of
the children under the light of the Erikson 8 stage of the psychosocial development (Dunkel
& Harbke, 2017). This will be done in relation to a case study of Andrew who is a 2 and half
year old boy. At second part of the assignment will focus on how the physiological
development of a child helps to promote the psychosocial development and the effects of the
parenting style on psychosocial development.
Psychosocial development
The psychosocial development mainly helps to define the process of the
psychological development or the mental health development of the individuals is based on
the influence of the surrounding society or the social structure. According to the Erikson
theory of the psycho-social development, development of the personality of an individual
occurs in a pre-determined manner through eight different stages of the psychosocial
development starting from infancy to the adulthood (Darling-Fisher, 2019). During each
stage of the development the person experiences a certain degree of the psychological crisis
that could have a significant positive and negative outcome on the overall personality
development. These psychosocial crises are psychosocial in nature as they involve the
psychological needs of the individuals that are conflicting with the needs of the society or the
social needs. According to the Erikson theory, completion of the each stage of the
psychosocial development results in the development of the healthy personality and
simultaneous acquisition of the basic virtues. The basic virtues of life are characteristics of
the strength which the ego can be employed in order to resolve the subsequent crisis. Any
failure towards the successful completion of the each stage of the psycho-social development

2NURSING
can result in reduced ability of accomplish any other further stages of the development thus,
leading to the development of the more unhealthy personality and a sense of self (Dunkel &
Harbke, 2017). Andrew is 2 and the half years old and the main stage of the psychosocial
development as proposed by Erikson include autonomy vs. Shame and doubt. This is the
second stage of the Erik Erikson’s theory of the psycho-social development. This stage is
mainly applicable to the individuals who are between the age group of 18 months to 3 years.
According to the Erikson, children at this age are more focused towards the development of
senses for the personal control in comparison to the development off the physical skills and
the development of the sense of independence (Dunkel & Harbke, 2017). Attaining success in
this stage of the psychosocial development will lead to the development of the virtue of will.
If the children at this stage are given proper encouragement and support and they become
more confident and secured and independent in their life and the ability to sustain in the
world. However, if the children are criticized at this stage or are overly controlled or are not
given proper opportunity to assert themselves, the children might start feeling that they are
inadequate or they lack the ability to survive and thus they tend to become overly depend
upon others along with lack of self-esteem with a consistent feeling of doubt and shame in
their abilities (Darling-Fisher, 2019).
In order to provide training for the proper development of the senses like the sense of
autonomy and the sense of increased self-esteem, Andrew must be given toilet training. Desai
(2018) stated that children mainly spend the initial years of their lives in diapers and this
status might become permanent if the parents fail to make pro-active initiative to change their
bodily functions. Successful toilet training apart from training to walk and self-feeding helps
to develop the sense of independence. Encouraging and praising the child will help the child
to trust her ability to make decisions. Andrews’ mother must also refrain from shaming him
when he fails to control his urine continence. Young (2018) stated that if the child receives