Which of the following categories would a 70 year old adult is placed in?

Appeared in: GMCH Chandigarh - 2019

Explanation

This is the eighth and final stage of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, covering the period of late adulthood from age 65 to death.
A 70-year-old individual is in this stage, which involves a process of life review.
The central conflict is between achieving a sense of integrity (feeling that one's life has been meaningful and accepting of both successes and failures) and yielding to despair (regret, bitterness, and fear of death).
A positive resolution of this stage leads to the virtue of wisdom.

Option A: This stage, Intimacy vs. Isolation, is characteristic of young adulthood (approximately 19-40 years).
Option B: This stage, Generativity vs. Stagnation, applies to middle adulthood (approximately 40-65 years).
Option D: This is not a valid stage in Erikson's eight-stage theory of psychosocial development.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Erikson's stages of psychosocial development as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses can support older adults in achieving integrity by encouraging life review and reminiscence. Asking about past experiences, accomplishments, and challenges validates their life and promotes a sense of meaning.
Assessing for signs of despair, such as social withdrawal, expressions of regret, and hopelessness, is crucial. These may indicate a need for mental health support or counseling.
What if the patient was 50 years old? In that case, the correct stage would be Generativity vs. Stagnation. The nurse's focus would shift to supporting the patient's need to feel productive and contribute to society, perhaps by exploring volunteer opportunities or legacy-building activities.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information in the question stem, which is the age of the adult: '70 year old'.
Recognize that the options provided are from Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.
Recall or look up the different stages and their corresponding age ranges.
Match the given age (70) to the correct stage. The 'Integrity vs. Despair' stage covers ages 65 and older.
Evaluate the other options to confirm they are incorrect for this age group.
Identify any invalid options, such as 'Longevity vs. guilt', to definitively rule them out.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Erikson's stages of psychosocial development
Stem keywords: 70 year old adult, categories
Lead-in keywords: Which of the following
Clinical cues: Age 70: This cue directly points to the late adulthood stage in developmental theories.

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E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3375-3377

E6 Psychology Applied Sreevani 6e Sem1 p. 81-83

Practise the full GMCH Chandigarh - 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.