Erikson’s Theory and Adopted Children
The adopted child 's trauma begins the moment they are separated from their biological mother at birth and can last a lifetime. This sounds terminally depressing; however, this paper will shed light on a topic much overlooked, giving discernment, showing although there are challenges to be faced, it does not necessarily mean the outcome is doomed to be hopeless. Most adopted children make it through adolescence just as others do. This paper will bring attention to the unnecessary suffering caused by grief, guilt, shame and mistrust. If adopted parents are made aware of the emotional problems their adopted children may have and they are addressed by mental health professionals very early on, the symptoms …show more content…
Even a child who is separated at birth will carry feelings of abandonment which can lead to a low self-image-- self-worth, if not dealt with properly. Erik Erikson’s theory has been questioned as to how relevant it may be for people of all racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This paper will look into the relevance of Erikson 's theory as it may pertain to adopted children and give insight into how being adopted can hinder developmental stages, especially during adolescence when they are developing a sense of identity. In this author 's experience, there is much to be learned about the difficulties of growing up as an adopted child.
To better understand the adopted child 's thinking, one must understand that the adopted child is told by others in society they should be grateful to their adopted parents, never speak of negative emotions with regard to their feelings towards being adopted that may potentially hurt their parents. The adopted child has a lot to hide inside from a very early age. This turmoil and confusion will cause them shame for having felt …show more content…
This theory focuses on how personalities evolve throughout life as a result of the interaction between biologically based maturation and the demands of society" (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p. 292). "Erikson 's psychosocial theory begins with infancy. For infants up to 18 months of age, learning to trust others is the overriding crisis. To develop trust, one must understand that some people and some things can be depended on. Erikson believed that infants who consistently receive warm, loving care and nourishment will learn to trust that these things will be provided to them" (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p. 293). "If an individual does not learn to trust in stage 1, that person will find it very difficult to attain intimacy in stage 6" (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p.
The adopted child 's trauma begins the moment they are separated from their biological mother at birth and can last a lifetime. This sounds terminally depressing; however, this paper will shed light on a topic much overlooked, giving discernment, showing although there are challenges to be faced, it does not necessarily mean the outcome is doomed to be hopeless. Most adopted children make it through adolescence just as others do. This paper will bring attention to the unnecessary suffering caused by grief, guilt, shame and mistrust. If adopted parents are made aware of the emotional problems their adopted children may have and they are addressed by mental health professionals very early on, the symptoms …show more content…
Even a child who is separated at birth will carry feelings of abandonment which can lead to a low self-image-- self-worth, if not dealt with properly. Erik Erikson’s theory has been questioned as to how relevant it may be for people of all racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This paper will look into the relevance of Erikson 's theory as it may pertain to adopted children and give insight into how being adopted can hinder developmental stages, especially during adolescence when they are developing a sense of identity. In this author 's experience, there is much to be learned about the difficulties of growing up as an adopted child.
To better understand the adopted child 's thinking, one must understand that the adopted child is told by others in society they should be grateful to their adopted parents, never speak of negative emotions with regard to their feelings towards being adopted that may potentially hurt their parents. The adopted child has a lot to hide inside from a very early age. This turmoil and confusion will cause them shame for having felt …show more content…
This theory focuses on how personalities evolve throughout life as a result of the interaction between biologically based maturation and the demands of society" (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p. 292). "Erikson 's psychosocial theory begins with infancy. For infants up to 18 months of age, learning to trust others is the overriding crisis. To develop trust, one must understand that some people and some things can be depended on. Erikson believed that infants who consistently receive warm, loving care and nourishment will learn to trust that these things will be provided to them" (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p. 293). "If an individual does not learn to trust in stage 1, that person will find it very difficult to attain intimacy in stage 6" (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, p.