Chapter 2

Concepts of

Personality Development

Professor Fickley

Introduction

• Personality defined

“enduring patterns of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and oneself that are exhibited in a wide range of social and personal contexts.”

Introduction (cont.)

• People continue to develop and change throughout life, thereby suggesting the possibility for renewal

and growth in adults.

Introduction (cont.)

• Stages are identified by age. However, personality is influenced by temperament (inborn personality characteristics) and the environment.

• It is possible for behaviors from an unsuccessfully completed stage to be modified and corrected in a later stage.

Introduction (cont.)

• Stages overlap, and individuals may be working on tasks from more than one stage at a time.

• Individuals may become fixed in a certain stage and remain developmentally delayed.

Review of Major Theories

• Review the theorists from Psychology classes

• Freud- Psychosocial

• Sullivan- Interpersonal

• Erikson- Psychosocial

1.Psychoanalytic Theory – Freud

• Freud believed basic character was formed by age 5 years.

• He organized the structure of the personality into three major components:

• Id

• Ego

• Superego

Psychoanalytic Theory – Freud (cont.)

Dynamics of the personality

• Psychic energy

• Cathexis

• Anticathexis

Topography of the Mind

• The conscious

• The preconscious

• The unconscious

Psychoanalytic Theory – Freud (cont.)

• Development of the personality

• Oral stage (birth to 18 months)

• Anal stage (18 months to 3 years)

• Phallic stage (3 – 6 years)

• Latency stage (6 – 12 years)

• Genital stage (13 – 20 years)

Psychoanalytic Theory – Freud (cont.)

• Relevance to nursing practice

• Being able to recognize behaviors associated with the id, ego, and superego will assist in the assessment of clients’ developmental level.

• Understanding the use of ego-defense mechanisms is important in making determinations about maladaptive behaviors and in planning care for clients to assist in creating change.

Interpersonal Theory – Sullivan

• Based on the belief that individual behavior and personality development are the direct result of interpersonal relationships

• Major concepts of this theory

• Anxiety *good me

• Satisfaction of needs * bad me

• Interpersonal security *not me

• Self-system

Interpersonal Theory – Sullivan (cont.)

Stages of development

• Infancy (birth - 18 months)

• Childhood (18 months – 6 years)

• Juvenile (6 - 9 years)

• Preadolescence (9 – 12 years)

• Early adolescence (12 – 14 years)

• Late adolescence (14 – 21 years)

Interpersonal Theory – Sullivan (cont.)

• Relevance to nursing practice

• Relationship development is a major psychiatric nursing intervention. Knowledge about the behaviors associated with all levels of anxiety and methods for alleviating anxiety help nurses assist clients in achieving interpersonal security and a sense of well-being.

Theory of Psychosocial Development – Erikson

• Based on the influence of social processes on the development of the personality

• Erikson identified eight stages of development and the major tasks associated with each

Theory of Psychosocial Development – Erikson (cont.)

Stages of Development

• Trust vs Mistrust (birth - 18 months)

• Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt (18 months –3 years)

• Initiative vs Guilt (3 - 6 years)

• Industry vs Inferiority (6 - 12 years)

• Identity vs Role Confusion (12 - 20 years)

• Intimacy vs Isolation (20 - 30 years)

• Generativity vs Stagnation (30 - 65 years)

• Ego Integrity vs Despair (65 years - death)

Theory of Psychosocial Development – Erikson (cont.)

• Relevance to nursing practice

• Many individuals with mental health problems are still struggling to achieve tasks from a number of developmental stages. Nurses can plan care to assist these individuals to fulfill these tasks and move on to a higher developmental level.

Interpersonal Theory by Peplau

• Mother of Psychiatric Nursing

• Interpersonal process with a focus on problem solving

• Focuses on empathy and compassion

Other Theories

• Aaron Beck; Cognitive Schemas

• Feminist Theory; Gender Sensitive

• Neurobiological Model: (more later!)

• Others

MATCH: Trust, Mistrust, Autonomy, Shame and Doubt; Guilt: Industry; Initiative; Inferiority; Identity; Role Confusion; Intimacy: Isolation; Stagnation; Generativity; Integrity; Despair

• 1. “I don’t like people. I’d rather be alone.”

2. “Get away from me with that medicine. I know you are trying to poison me!”

3. “I feel good about my life. I have a lot to be thankful for.”

• 4. Five-year-old girl believes she is the cause of her parents’ divorce.

• 5.Sure, I will lend you $5. next pay.

MATCH: Trust, Mistrust, Autonomy, Shame and Doubt; Guilt: Industry; Initiative; Inferiority; Identity; Role Confusion; Intimacy: Isolation; Stagnation; Generativity; Integrity; Despair

• e. “Sure, I’ll loan you $10 till your next payday.”

• 6. “I don’t know what I want to do with my life. College? Work? What kind of job would I get anyway?”

• 7. “Mommy! Mommy! I made all A’s on my report card!”

• 8. Inferiority “I’ll have to ask my husband. He’s the decision maker in our family.”

• 9. Identity“ When I graduate from college I want to work with handicapped children.”

• 10. Role Confusion" I plan to work as hard as necessary to help women achieve equality. I plan to see this

• happens before I die.”

• 11. Intimacy “I hate this place. No one cares what I do anyway. It’s just a way to bring

MATCH: Trust, Mistrust, Autonomy, Shame and Doubt; Guilt: Industry; Initiative; Inferiority; Identity; Role Confusion; Intimacy: Isolation; Stagnation; Generativity; Integrity; Despair

• l2. “Look, Mom! I ironed this blouse all by myself!”

• 13.“If only I could live my life over again. I’d do things so much differently. I feel like a nothing.”

• 14.“I could never be a nurse. I’m not smart enough.”

• 15.“Yes, I will be the chairperson for the cancer drive.”

• 16.“I have been the Girl Scout leader for Troop 259 for 7 years now.”

• Modified :FADavis