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Some many children and adolescents have certain problems at school and home, and there are a few key theories that can be applied to analyze their behavior and develop a preliminary plan of psychological care. In this paper, I consider the case of Aaron, a boy demonstrating quite a strange behavior and having significant issues with socialization.
Many researchers in the field of psychology attempted at developing their theories explaining the process of human personality development. For instance, Erikson (1994) put a lot of time into defining and studying the primary laws that are common for all the people and control the process of personality development in children and adult people. According to his opinion, the development of personality never stops, and there are a few important stages of this process. In general, he defined eight stages of development; each of them was connected to a specific inner conflict. To continue, each stage is inextricably bound up with one of the basic values (such as care for adult people and wisdom for elderly ones). Developing the theory, the author defines the approximate age which corresponds to the description of the stages.
Despite the obvious link between the age and the priorities, in some cases, the stage of development of a particular person and his or her actual age may be different. I suppose that Aaron is in the stage of early childhood typical for the children who are 2-4 years old. To some extent, he demonstrates his ability to make decisions but he is unable to meet the requirements of society. Therefore, it can be said that there is a developmental delay. If the conflict peculiar for this stage is not resolved, the child will be likely to become weak-willed (Aaron cannot control his behavior and refrain from stealing).
According to the theory proposed by Maslow (1970), there are certain stages of development that are closely interconnected with specific needs. One who is in the first stage is primarily concerned about basic physiological needs. Having fulfilled the most important tasks connected to the stage, people stop prioritizing these needs and start striving for more important goals. With time, the needs of a person tend to become more complicated; the need for safety replaces basic bodily needs and becomes the most important. Then, a person starts to pay more attention to interpersonal relationships and the importance of mutual love. During the next stage, a person is sensitive to various problems connected to self-esteem and mutual respect. Finally, people start paying attention to more difficult problems such as morality and the ways to develop creative abilities.
As for this particular case, I believe that Aaron is likely to be in the second stage of his personal development. As far as I know, the feeling of safety is the primary goal that can be achieved at this stage; if we try to analyze Aaron’s behavior, it becomes clear that he suffers because he does not feel safe. Aaron tries to protect himself but at the same time, he is unable to think about more complicated needs such as gaining knowledge. He has witnessed one boy get shot in the face, he seems to like violence and it can be regarded as his protective response to the dangerous life that he sees. Furthermore, he is likely to be from a difficult family and this is why his need for safety is so urgent.
To continue, his behavior can be regarded from one more point of view. According to trauma-informed theory, people who have survived severe psychological traumas should be treated about a few key principles. At first, they should feel the support from other people including the healthcare specialist working with them (Berliner & Kolko, 2016). To continue, it is necessary to help them to stop hiding their feelings, be honest to themselves, and analyze their experience to make a necessary conclusion. What is more, the use of this theory includes helping the patient to realize the problem because it often happens that people deny their traumatic experience. Apart from that, it may be necessary to search the signs of traumatic experience in a person’s behavior (it may manifest in eating disorders, mood swings, and anxiety).
The discussed theory may help to understand the case because Aaron’s traumatic experience seems to be the most reasonable explanation of his strange behavior. Due to his being a child, he is unable to analyze the previous experience (being a witness of a tragedy that happened to another boy) without someone’s help. Because of that, he tries to conquer fear and look aggressive and spiteful. The theory may be helpful when it comes to the assessment of the case; it can define the strategy that would allow Aaron to establish normal relationships with other people.
All the discussed theories seem to help to understand Aaron’s problem deeper. Erikson’s theory allows defining the boy’s primary problem and developmental level. Maslow’s theory helps to assess his needs, and trauma-informed theory helps to define further treatment. It is very important to apply several theories because different approaches to studying human personality allow making a more intelligent decision concerning further psychological aid.
References
Berliner, L., & Kolko, D. J. (2016). Trauma informed care: A commentary and critique. Child maltreatment, 21(2), 168-172.
Erikson, E. H. (1994). Identity and the life cycle. New York, NY: WW Norton & Company.
Maslow, A. H. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York, NY: Harper & Brothers.
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