1. Concepts of Personality Development
Chapter 2
Concepts of Personality Development

2. Introduction 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)

3. Introduction (cont’d)
Life-cycle developmentalists believe that people continue to develop and change throughout life, thereby suggesting the possibility for renewal and growth in adults.

4. Introduction (cont’d)
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.

5. Introduction (cont’d)
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.

6. Introduction (cont’d)
Personality disorders occur when personality traits become inflexible and personality functioning becomes individually and interpersonally impaired.

7. 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

8. Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud (cont’d)
Topography of the Mind
The conscious
The preconscious
The unconscious

9. Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud (cont’d)
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)

10. Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud (cont’d)
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.

11. Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud (cont’d)
1. A college student is hospitalized after
a 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) Oral
b) Anal
c) Phallic
d) Latency

12. Psychoanalytic Theory: Freud (cont’d)
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 use 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.

13. 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
Satisfaction of needs
Interpersonal security
Self-system

14. Interpersonal Theory: Sullivan (cont’d)
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)

15. Interpersonal Theory: Sullivan (cont’d)
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.

16. 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.

17. Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erikson (cont’d)
Stages of Development
Trust vs. Mistrust (birth to 18 months)
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (18 months to 3 years)
Initiative vs. Guilt (3 to 6 years)
Industry vs. Inferiority (6 to 12 years)
Identity vs. Role Confusion (12 to 20 years)
Intimacy vs. Isolation (20 to 30 years)
Generativity vs. Stagnation (30 to 65 years)
Ego Integrity vs. Despair (65 years to death)

18. Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erikson (cont’d)
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 vs. inferiority
b) Intimacy vs. isolation
c) Ego integrity vs. despair
d) Generativity vs. stagnation

19. Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erikson (cont’d)
Correct answer: D
Generativity vs. stagnation occurs in middle adulthood (30 to 65), which is 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 vs. stagnation.

20. Theory of Psychosocial Development: Erikson (cont’d)
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.

21. Theory of Object Relations: Mahler
Based on the separation-individuation process of the infant from the maternal figure (primary caregiver).
Stages of Development
Phase I: The Autistic Phase
Phase II: The Symbiotic Phase
Phase III: Separation-Individuation

22. Theory of Object Relations: Mahler (cont’d)
Phase III: Four Subphases
Differentiation (5 to 10 months)
Practicing (10 to 16 months)
Rapprochement (16 to 24 months)
Consolidation (24 to 36 months)

23. Theory of Object Relations: Mahler (cont’d)
Relevance to Nursing Practice
Understanding the concepts of Mahler’s Theory of Object Relations assists the nurse in assessing clients’ 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.

24. A Nursing Model: 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.

25. A Nursing Model: Peplau (cont’d)
Peplau identifies seven nursing roles in which nurses function to assist individuals in need of health services:
Stranger
Resource person
Counselor
Teacher
Leader
Technical expert
Surrogate

26. A Nursing Model: Peplau (cont’d)
Four Stages of Personality Development
Stage 1: Learning to count on others
Stage 2: Learning to delay satisfaction
Stage 3: Identifying oneself
Stage 4: Developing skills
in participation

27. A Nursing Model: Peplau (cont’d)
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 that was not achieved in earlier experiences.