Copyright © 2014. F.A. Davis Company Theoretical Models of Personality Development Chapter 3

Copyright © 2014. F.A. Davis Company

Theoretical Models of Personality Theoretical Models of Personality DevelopmentDevelopment

Chapter 3Chapter 3


IntroductionIntroduction

• Personality is defined as “the characteristic way in which a person

thinks, feels, and behaves; the ingrained pattern of behavior that each person evolves, both consciously and unconsciously, as his or her style of life or way of being.”

(Black and Andreasen 2011)


Introduction Introduction (cont.)(cont.)

• Life-cycle developmentalists believe that people continue to develop and change throughout life, thereby suggesting the possibility for renewal and growth in adults.



• 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.



• 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.



• Personality disorders occur when personality traits become inflexible and personality functioning becomes individually and interpersonally impaired.


Psychoanalytic Theory: FreudPsychoanalytic Theory: Freud

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

• He organized the structure of the personality into three major components:– Id– Ego– Superego


Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud (cont.)(cont.)

• Topography of the Mind– The conscious– The preconscious– The unconscious



• Dynamics of the Personality– Psychic energy– Cathexis– Anticathexis



• Development of the Personality– Oral stage (birth to 18 months)– Anal stage (18 months to 3 years)– Phallic stage (3 to 6 years)– Latency stage (6 to 12 years)– Genital stage (13 to 20 years)



• Relevance to Nursing Practice – Being able to recognize behaviors

associated with the id, ego, andsuperego will assist in the assessmentof developmental level in clients.

– 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.



1. A college student is hospitalized after suicide attempt. During an interview, the father reveals that his ex-wife was punitive and scolded his daughter during toilet training. Freud would describe this student as fixated in which stage of psychosexual development?

A. OralB. AnalC. PhallicD. Latency



• Correct answer: B– The developmental task of the anal stage is

learning independence and control with focus on the excretory function. Freud believed that the manner in which children are toilet trained has far-reaching effects on the child's personality. Children who had harsh and rigid training utilize those same approaches internally when evaluating their adult actions. The current situation reflects an alteration in fulfilling the child’s need for independence and control during the anal stage.


Interpersonal Theory: SullivanInterpersonal Theory: Sullivan

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

• Major concepts of this theory include:– Anxiety– Satisfaction of needs– Interpersonal security– Self-system


Interpersonal Theory: Sullivan Interpersonal Theory: Sullivan (cont.)(cont.)

• Stages of Development– Infancy (birth to 18 months)– Childhood (18 months to 6 years)– Juvenile (6 to 9 years)– Preadolescence (9 to 12 years)– Early adolescence (12 to 14 years)– Late adolescence (14 to 21 years)


Interpersonal Theory: Sullivan Interpersonal Theory: Sullivan (cont.)(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 to assist clients achieve interpersonal security and a sense of well-being.


Theory of Psychosocial Development: Theory of Psychosocial Development: EriksonErikson

• 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: Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erikson Erikson (cont.)(cont.)

Stages of Development• Trust versus mistrust (birth to 18 months)• Autonomy versus shame and doubt (18 months to 3

years)• Initiative versus guilt (3 to 6 years)• Industry versus inferiority (6 to 12 years)• Identity versus role confusion (12 to 20 years)• Intimacy versus isolation (20 to 30 years)• Generativity versus stagnation (30 to 65 years)• Ego integrity versus despair (65 years to death)



2. A 40-year-old man is estranged from his children and states, “I’m the only one I can count on to meet my needs. The kids just want my money.” Using Erikson’s theory, with which developmental conflict is this client struggling?

A. Industry versus inferiorityB. Intimacy versus isolationC. Ego integrity versus despairD. Generativity versus stagnation



• Correct answer: D– Generativity versus stagnation occurs in middle

adulthood (30 to 65), which are primarily the working years. The major task is to achieve life goals established for oneself while also considering the welfare of future generations. This situation presents a client who is self-absorbed and unable to consider the welfare of his children. This situation is reflective of the developmental conflict of generativity versus stagnation.



• 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.


Theory of Object Relations: MahlerTheory of Object Relations: Mahler

• Based on the separation-individuation process of the infant from the maternal figure (primary caregiver)

• Stages of Development– Phase I: Autism (birth to 1 month)– Phase II: Symbiosis (1 to 5 months)– Phase III: Separation-Individuation (5 to 36

months)


Theory of Object Relations: Mahler Theory of Object Relations: Mahler (cont.)(cont.)

• Phase III. There Are Four Subphases:1. Differentiation ( 5 to 10 months)2. Practicing (10 to 16 months)3. Rapprochement (16 to 24 months)4. Consolidation (24 to 36 months)


Theory of Object Relations: Mahler Theory of Object Relations: Mahler (cont.)(cont.)

• Relevance to Nursing Practice– Understanding the concepts of Mahler’s theory of

object relations assists the nurse to assess the client’s level of individuation from primary caregivers. The emotional problems of many individuals can be traced to lack of fulfillment of the tasks of separation-individuation.


Cognitive Development: PiagetCognitive Development: Piaget

• Based on the premise that human intelligence is an extension of biological adaptation or one’s ability for psychological adaptation to the environment


Cognitive Development: Piaget Cognitive Development: Piaget (cont.)(cont.)

Stages of Development• Piaget identified four stages of development

that are related to age, demonstrating at each successive stage a higher level of logical organization than at the previous stage:– Sensorimotor ( birth to 2 years)– Preoperational (2 to 6 years)– Concrete operations ( 6 to 12 years)– Formal operations (12 to 15+ years)


Cognitive Development: Piaget Cognitive Development: Piaget (cont.)(cont.)

• Relevance to Nursing Practice– Nurses who work in psychiatry may use

techniques of cognitive therapy to help clients. Cognitive therapy focuses on changing “autonomic thoughts” that occur spontaneously and contribute to negative thinking. Nurses must have knowledge of cognitive development to help clients identify the distorted thought patterns and make the changes required for improvement in affective functioning.


Theory of Moral Development: Theory of Moral Development: KohlbergKohlberg

• Stages of moral development are not closely tied to specific age groups; they are more accurately determined by the individual’s motivation behind the behavior.


Theory of Moral Development: Theory of Moral Development: Kohlberg Kohlberg (cont.)(cont.)

• Three Major Levels of Moral Development– Preconventional level (4 to 10 years)– Conventional level (10 to 13 years and into

adulthood)– Postconventional level (from adolescence

on)


Theory of Moral Development: Theory of Moral Development: Kohlberg Kohlberg (cont.)(cont.)

• Relevance to Nursing Practice– Moral development has relevance to psychiatric

nursing in that it affects critical thinking about how individuals ought to behave and treat others. Psychiatric nurses must be able to assess the level of moral development of their clients to be able to help them in their efforts to advance toward a higher level of developmental maturity.


A Nursing Model of Interpersonal A Nursing Model of Interpersonal Development: PeplauDevelopment: Peplau

• Applies interpersonal theory to nurse-client relationship development

• Correlates the stages of personality development in childhood to stages through which clients advance during the progression of an illness

• Views interpersonal experiences as learning situations for nurses to facilitate forward movement in the development of personality


A Nursing Model of Interpersonal A Nursing Model of Interpersonal Development: Peplau Development: Peplau (cont.)(cont.)

• Peplau identified seven nursing roles in which nurses function to assist individuals in need of health services– Stranger– Resource person– Counselor– Teacher– Leader– Technical expert– Surrogate



• Four Stages of Personality Development– Stage 1: Learning to count on others– Stage 2: Learning to delay gratification– Stage 3: Identifying oneself– Stage 4: Developing skills in participation



• Relevance to Nursing Practice– Peplau’s model provides nurses with a framework

to interact with clients, many of whom are fixed in, or because of illness have regressed to, an earlier level of development.

– Using nursing roles suggested by Peplau, nurses may facilitate client learning of what has not been learned in earlier experiences.

Documents

Copyright © 2014. F.A. Davis Company Theoretical Models of Personality Development Chapter 3