1 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 6 Psychosocial Theory by Roberta R. Greene Psychosocial theory is primarily derived from the conceptual work of Erik Erikson (1902–1994). It is a stage theory which covers the entire life span, unlike Freud’s stage theory, which focused on infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Psychosocial theory is based on a number of factors, including one’s genetic endowment, physiology, psychology, family, home, and community contexts, one’s cultural upbringing, religion, ethnicity and race, sexual orientation, and economic status. It is very much a person-in-environment perspective, not solely an approach based on individual psychology.

2 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 6 Psychosocial Theory by Roberta R. Greene This approach is said to: 1.Provide a framework for ordering the life cycle 2.Address stability and change in the unfolding of life transitions 3.Account for factors that may shape development at each stage 4.Discuss the multiple biopsychosocial factors shaping development 5.Explore the tasks to be accomplished at each life stage 6.Consider each state as emerging from earlier stages 7.Explain successes and failures at each stage, as shaped by the outcomes of earlier stages 8.Identify personal differences in development.

3 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 6 Psychosocial Theory by Roberta R. Greene Psychosocial theory is founded on the epigenetic principle, which postulates that individual growth occurs systematically, with each developmental stage building on another in an orderly pattern. This occurs over one’s entire lifetime. It is not a process that stops when one reaches adulthood. A developmental crisis that has not been been adequately resolved at one level may be resolved at a later time period, with proper support from one’s environment. This can occur naturally in life, or through formal psychotherapy based on Eriksonian principles.

4 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 6 Psychosocial Theory by Roberta R. Greene Erikson theorized that life unfolds as a series of psychosocial crises, or demands, associated with an increase in vulnerability and heightened potential. Each stage is said to be associated with a particular psychosocial crisis. These are theorized as: LIFE STAGEPSYCHOSOCIAL CRISIS InfancyTrust vs. Mistrust Early ChildhoodAutonomy vs. Shame and Doubt Play StageInitiative vs. Guilt School StageIndustry vs. Inferiority AdolescenceIndvidual Identity vs. Identity Confusion Young AdultIntimacy vs. Social Isolation AdulthoodGenerativity vs. Stagnation Old AgeIntegrity vs. Despair

5 Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice Bruce A. Thyer, Catherine N. Dulmus, and Karen M. Sowers, Editors Chapter 6 Psychosocial Theory by Roberta R. Greene Relevance to Social Work Practice Assessment focuses on exploring a client’s relative successes in reaching the specific challenges associated with each stage of development. Questions are designed to elicit the extent to which the client is trustful, is autonomous, has self-confidence, possesses a sense of purpose, is productive, bonds with others, and has comfort with the notion of his or her mortality. Treatment may make use of techniques such as a Life Review. Interventions are designed to help the client gain insight about the challenges and opportunities accompanying each developmental crisis.