The sobering fact of family law is that to be in the business of orchestrating

Chapter 5
Social and Emotional Development
73
Table 5.1
ERIC ERIKSON’S (1950, 1959, 1968) STAGES
OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
APPROXIMATE
ESSENTIAL
ACHIEVEMENT UPON RESOLUTION
AGES
CONFLICT
Birth through 18
Trust versus
Can I rely on caregivers to fulfill my
months
mistrust
needs? Achieves hope and freedom to
look beyond self.
18 months through
Autonomy versus
Is it safe to be separate from my
3 years
shame and doubt
caregivers? Achieves pride and
confidence.
3 through 5 years
Initiative versus
How will the consequences of my
guilt
actions affect me? Achieves self-
control and conscience.
6 years through
Industry versus
Am I good at what I do? Achieves
teens
inferiority
competence and confidence.
Teens through 20s
Identity versus role
Am I accepted by my peer group?
confusion
Achieves new definition of self
especially in context of intimate
relationships.
20s through 40s
Intimacy versus
Can I establish intimate bonds even at
isolation
the cost of losing others? Achieves
new definition of self and capacity to
tolerate loss.
40s through 60s
Generativity versus
Can I give back to others and is my
stagnation
contribution valued/valuable? Achieves
sense of continuity into next
generations.
60s and beyond
Ego integrity
Has my life been worthwhile?
versus despair
Achieves fulfillment.