Running head: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

Growth and Development Assessment

Corey Woodward
Galen College of Nursing

Running head: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

Growth and Development Assessment

Zoe Woodward will be the participant being assessed about her growth and development
compared to her peers. She is 14 years old and will be starting high school next fall. She
currently resides with her recently widowed father in a nice small home, but plan to move soon.
She has many close relationships with nearby family who have become more available because
of the loss of her mother. They watch out for, and take care of her while her father is at work. Her
father is a very hard working man and has always done everything he can to provide for his
family. He has a great job and loves to spoil her.
The theory that will be utilized to assess Zoes development is Eriksons stages of
development. Erikson proposed a lifespan model of development, consisting of eight stages
throughout ones life. Despite there being eight stages, Erikson puts a great deal of emphasis on
the adolescent period, feeling it was a crucial stage for developing a persons identity (McLeod,
2008, n.p.). Erikson focused on the study of how one finds their true identity. As stated by
(Papalia, Olds, and Feldman, 2008), Identity, according to Erikson, forms as young people
resolve three major issues: the choice of an occupation, the adoption of values to live by, and the
development of a satisfying sexual identity (p. 390). A brief over view of Eriksons stages of
development are as followed:
1. Trust vs. Mistrust- infancy (first year of life)
During this stage the infant is uncertain and completely dependent. They turn to their
caregivers for stability and consistency of care. If the infant feels their needs are
being met, they will develop a sense of trust which can carry into future relationships.
If their needs are not being met, they can develop mistrust in relationships as well as
the world as a whole.

Running head: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

2. Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt- early childhood (1-3)

Children in this stage begin to assert their independence. They start doing tasks on
their own (potty training, dressing themselves, eating on their own, etc.). If children
are successful at these challenges, they become more confident. Whereas children
who have difficulty completing these tasks will feel shame and doubt.
3. Initiative vs. Guilt- play age (3-5)
During this stage, children begin to control impulses and act in a socially responsible
way. If children are successful they will become more self-confident. If children fail
to do so, they develop a strong sense of guilt.
4. Industry vs. Inferiority- school age (5-12)
During this time, children compete with their peers to prepare for adult roles. They
will be learning specific skills that they will carry for the rest of their lives. If children
are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they will feel confident in their
ability to achieve goals. If the child cannot develop a specific skill set they feel
society values, they may develop a sense of inferiority.
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion- adolescence (12-18)
This stage can be difficult and confusing for my individuals. They are trying to
determine their identity, as well as their career path. Failure to establish a sense of
identity can lead to them doubting themselves as well as their place in society.
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation- young adulthood (18-40)
Begin to explore relationships leading to longer term commitments. This stage faces
the challenge of finding love. Not finding a relationship can lead to a risk of isolation
and loneliness.
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation- adulthood (40-65)
During middle adulthood, we establish our careers, settle down within a relationship,
begin our own families, and develop a sense of being a part of the bigger picture. We
work hard to become productive members of society through our jobs and parenting.
Failing to achieve these objectives can lead to a stagnant or unproductive feeling.
8. Integrity vs. Despair- old age (65+)

Running head: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

During this stage, individuals examine their lives. We evaluate our accomplishments
and decide if we succeeded or not in life. If people see their lives as unproductive,
they become dissatisfied with their lives and develop despair.
During the first three stages of Zoes life, she excelled and developed very quickly. She
had a great mother who took care of her every needs which led to a great sense of trust. Zoe
continued to develop and show signs of maturation even at a very young age. I remember taking
her to the park and whenever kids would get in arguments she would always try to resolve the
issue in a moral fashion. Zoe did not slow her development until she reached Eriksons fourth
stage of development, industry vs. inferiority.
Her father was a very talented athlete. He played baseball in college and passed his
athleticism on to her, as well as her brother. Zoe grew up watching her family boast about her
brothers athletic accomplishments. In sports, she constantly battled for her peers approval, as
well as her familys. She states, I wasnt confident that I could ever be as good as you in sports,
and I knew dad would be disappointed. This sense of inferiority continued into her current stage
of development, adolescence.
Currently, Zoe is in the adolescence stage, or identity vs. role confusion. Because of her
being so young within this stage, she has not yet developed a role in life, which is the norm.
Although, her interests in school and deciding about her future are quite cloudy. Since she has
recently gone through puberty and is starting to mature sexually, her interests in the opposite sex
have vastly increased and recently got her first boyfriend. Despite only being 14, she has a
thorough understanding of the risks involved with sexual intercourse. She explains that she has
learned about sex from school as well as friends. She also explained that she has had very brief

Running head: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

discussions of the topic with her father. Without having a mother to talk about personal
situations, Zoe says she turns to her friends for advice.
Like many other teenagers in the U.S., she is a little overweight and has poor eating
habits. Although she has dropped weight consistently in a healthy manner. She explains that even
though she may be overweight still, she is happy with where she is at and at least is doing it the
right way. Because of adolescents being so concerned with body image, there has been a trend of
eating disorders, of which Zoe is aware and has even saw her friends participate in. Being
overweight with the added stressful life event of her mother passing has led to the concern of
depression, which is common among adolescence. Although she objects to such a thought, there
may be some concerns. She shows signs of constant irritability and boredom which are signs of
depression. She tends to be holding in her emotions, something a lot of her family does. Her
relationship with her father is up and down. She explains that he cannot relate to her life and
problems, which creates a major communication issue. Because of her relationship struggle, Zoe
shows signs of an adolescent rebellion. Furthermore, Zoe displays several risk factors for teenage
drug abuse. She surprisingly admitted to have trying alcohol, although she despises drugs
because of her moms extended history with drug abuse. Her friends and her family create a huge
support system for her. She explains that her friends feel just as close as family, a feeling
common among many other adolescents. Staying involved and maintaining a tight support
system will allow her to continue to progressively develop.
Moving forward into life, Zoe will stay on track of her developmental process. She is a
very strong minded girl who has had to cope with events that most teenagers never endure. Her
family has been successful and progressed in their developmental process their entire lives.
Although she is currently going through a rough phase in her life, she is maintaining her

Running head: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ASSESSMENT

composure and coping with the situation very well. Maintaining her support system and reaching
out for help in times of need will be her keys to successfully stay on track of her developmental
process.

References
McLeod, S. (2008). Erik Erikson. Retrieved May 28, 2016, from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html
Papalia, D. E., Olds, S. W., & Feldman, R. D. (2009). Human development. New York:
McGraw-Hill.