Physical Disabilities, Everything is Harder
This three- to five-page assignment is due November 16, 2014 at 11:59 p.m.
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Background
The developmental theory of Erik Erikson is a useful model for studying life-span changes. Erikson’s theory identifies eight important psychosocial crises in life, each of which can be resolved in either a positive, growth-promoting way or in a negative manner that disrupts healthy development. When biopsychosocial development does not proceed normally, life becomes more difficult. Reflect on Erikson’s theory and the difficulties that individuals with physical disabilities may have in achieving a positive resolution to each crisis.
Assignment
This exercise asks you to relate each of Erikson’s developmental stages to the problems of people with physical disabilities that could result from impaired biopsychosocial development.
•Describe how a problem in biopsychosocial development might make it more difficult to resolve one of Erikson’s eight psychosocial crises in a positive way.
Base your answers on material from the text, your own experiences, or the experiences of someone you know. To successfully complete the exercise, students must integrate material from infancy, early childhood, and middle childhood and anticipate developmental issues that will emerge during adolescence and adulthood. You may find it helpful to review the discussion of Erikson’s theory before completing this exercise.
