Describe and attempt to analyse various factors effecting human growth and development (case study)

Secondly follows adolescence and it is one of the most conflict stages through people’s life span; in witch numbers of changes are occurred. Not only body goes though changes during puberty, but the incidence of emotional and mental problems increases, too. Erikson in his theories alleged, that during this period, young adults have moral issues as well as self identity, conflicts in family relationships and peer pressure (Gross, 1992, pp 628 – 629). During this stage, Rita not only had to experience these problems, but had to face the biggest change in her life – exile. All her family were expatriated from their home to another country were had to start a new life from the beginning. Rita reached her critical period during her exile confronting new culture, environment and language.  Nevertheless this period of life was fraught of emotional difficulties Rita had coped really well by adopting new changes. As stated in the book ‘Adolescents in wartime’ (American Academy of Political and Social Science, 1974, p 137) if child comes to adolescence with past experience that included love and reasonable level of discipline… he handles the conflicts of the critical period with minimum turmoil’ and that would be a case in Rita’s life. Getting all needed emotional support and bonding from parents, helped Rita to deal with critical period in the most positive way. As a result of exile Rita had been closer to her family, than friends, denying Erikcon’s theoretical proposition, that in adolescence young adults have the most significant relationship with peers (Harder, 2002). In sum, Rita’s adolescence lives was more or less conform of theories, were she reached her puberty, struggled with social interactions and explored sexual experience.

 Finaly, adulthood begins and it is the longest stage of people’s life – cycle and according to Levinson it is “one of the best kept secret in our society and probably in human history generally”. (Gross, 1992, p 700). This stage of life consists different aspects and needs to achieve own identity as well as having high ambitions to succeed, select a partner, start a family and accept responsibilities (Neivid, Ruthus, 2005). Just transiting this path of life, Rita had to change her life yet again, by having been sent back to homeland. While living back at home, she was working in kolkhoz earning little money and helping her parents to re – built their life as a agriculturists. As most theories stated, Rita got married and had children in yearly adulthood. She lived in extended family, where she took care not only for her children, but her parents in law, too. While caring for parents in law, after children left home, Rita prevented inactivity and meaninglessness that helped her to avoid Middle life crisis (Aiken, 1998). This followed in late adulthood too, when she started volunteering and helping other people.

 In a consequence all the five factors affected Rita’s growth and development through life cycle, while some had more substantial impact on it, than others. The environmental and social factors had the biggest influences on Rita’ life, that intensively followed through all her life journey. Hers life was full of significant changes, making her work physically hard all her adulthood and at some point suffering from poverty, yet all these aspects had affected her more emotionally and mentally rather than physically. Saying that, Rita did handled the changes in a positive way, proving that childhood upbringing has a big influence on the later stages of life, giving more stability and security (Gross, 1992)

References and Bibliography  

Aiken, L. R., (1998), Human Development in Adulthood, USA, Plenum Press

Ainsworth, M. D. S., Bowlby, J., (1999), An ethological Approach To Personality development, American Psychologist

American Academy of Political and Social Science (1974), Adolescents in wartime, Philadelphia, The academy in Philadelphia

Boggin, B. (1999), Patterns of Human Growth, United Kingdom, The Press Syndicate of the Cambridge

Harder, A. F. (2002) The Developmental Stages Of Erik Erikson,  [accessed on 20th November, 2009]  

Nevid, J. S., Rathus, S. A. (2005). Psychology and the challenges of life: Adjustment in the new millennium,  9th ed., NJ, John Wiley & Sons.

965w-,