Erik Erikson Case Study

I believe that Betty is experiencing an identity crisis due to her present setting as well as her past experiences. An identity crisis is a point in one’s life when they lack direction and motive. Identity crisis affects everyone and causes for confusion and a lost sense of identity. An identity crisis is not always negative, it can be a driving force also. Betty’s ego (realization of “i”) seems to be currently internally motivated mostly because both of her children (The people she was closest with) have moved away and because she is very distant from her husband Cole. Erik Erikson’s theory of psychological development (A broadening of Freud’s psychosexual development) can be used to trace Betty’s experiences in the past to target why she is dealing with a loss of identity now. At stage four, industry vs. inferiority (Freud’s latency stage) when one is at grade school age they begin making relationships with classmates as well as their mentors and teachers. Achievement and accomplishment is very important at this stage. In Betty’s life at this stage she was receiving average grades as compared to majority of her classmates. But Betty’s brother performed remarkably well in school causing her to feel inferior to him. This could of resulted in her to feel incompetent and ultimately reflect on how she chooses to pursue her educational future. At stage five, identity vs. role (Freud’s gentility and puberty stage) when one is in adolescence and puberty age the relationships between peer groups and friends is very important. During this stage Betty was still being greatly sheltered by her father causing her to seem to be more shy and closed away from others. She also did not have a good outlook on her self, she didn’t feel that she compared to other girls in her classes, she referred to her self being a “Plain Jane”. At stage six, intimacy vs. isolation (Freud’s geniality stage). This stage takes place during ones young adult life, the relationships between yourself and close friends as well as intimate relationships is important. This stage is about becoming close with others, lack of doing this could affect your personality to become reckless when it comes to having adult relationships. During Betty’s earlier days in