Infant (0-1 yr) faces Trust vs Mistrust; consistent caregiving builds hope and trust.
Before you read
Test yourself first: 3 questions
Question 1 of 3
According to Erikson, which psychosocial task is the central developmental challenge for a toddler between 1 and 3 years of age?
Answer: B. Erikson identifies autonomy versus shame and doubt as the toddler stage, reflecting the drive for independence such as feeding and toileting. Trust versus mistrust is infancy, initiative versus guilt is the preschooler, and industry versus inferiority is school age.
Question 2 of 3
A school-age child is learning new skills and comparing themselves to peers. Per Erikson, the task is:
Answer: B. School age (6–12) is industry vs. inferiority — developing competence and accomplishment. Success builds confidence; repeated failure fosters inferiority.
Question 3 of 3
According to Erikson, the primary developmental task of adolescence is:
Answer: B. Adolescence: identity vs. role confusion — forming a sense of self. (Toddlers: autonomy; young adults: intimacy.)
Keep the streak going with more questions like these, each with a full rationale.
What is erikson's psychosocial stages?
Successful resolution builds a virtue; failure leads to difficulty in later stages. Memory aid: Try Always Inviting Interesting Individuals Into Good Discussions (Trust, Autonomy, Initiative, Industry, Identity, Intimacy, Generativity, Integrity).
Key points to remember
- Infant (0-1 yr) faces Trust vs Mistrust; consistent caregiving builds hope and trust.
- Toddler (1-3 yr) faces Autonomy vs Shame/Doubt; toilet training and saying 'no' build will.
- Preschool (3-6 yr) faces Initiative vs Guilt; play and curiosity build purpose.
- School-age (6-12 yr) faces Industry vs Inferiority; accomplishment and peer comparison build competence.
- Adolescent (12-18 yr) faces Identity vs Role Confusion; peer groups and self-concept build fidelity.
- Young adult faces Intimacy vs Isolation, middle adult Generativity vs Stagnation, older adult Integrity vs Despair (life review).
Nursing priorities
- Provide consistent caregivers and routines for infants to foster trust.
- Allow toddlers safe choices and autonomy during care (which arm for the injection).
- Encourage school-age children to complete tasks and praise effort to build industry.
- Support adolescents' need for privacy, peer contact, and identity exploration.
- Facilitate life review and reminiscence with older adults to promote ego integrity.
Patient teaching
- Tailor explanations to the child's stage: concrete and play-based for preschoolers, fact-based and privacy-respecting for adolescents.
- Encourage parents to allow age-appropriate independence rather than doing everything for the child.
Red flags: report now
- Regression in a hospitalized child (loss of toilet training, thumb-sucking) signals stress and needs support, not punishment.
- Older adult expressing hopelessness or that life was meaningless during life review may indicate despair and depression risk; assess for suicide.
References
Clinical references for this topic
