You are working in a paediatric unit of the hospital and caring for a six year old boy who is hospitalized with cystic fibrosis and respiratory compromise. Which developmental task is the challenge for this boy at his age?

Appeared in: GMCH Chandigarh - 2019

Explanation

According to Erikson's theory, a six-year-old child is in the 'Industry vs. Inferiority' stage of psychosocial development.
The primary task during this stage is to develop a sense of competence and productivity ('industry') by mastering academic, social, and physical skills.
Successful completion of this stage leads to self-confidence, while failure can result in feelings of inadequacy and inferiority.
Hospitalization can threaten a child's sense of industry by limiting their ability to participate in normal school and peer activities.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option A: This describes a therapeutic or physiological goal related to the child's medical condition (cystic fibrosis), not a psychosocial developmental task.
Option C: Developing autonomy and self-control is the central task of the 'Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt' stage, which occurs in toddlers (ages 1-3).
Option D: Developing initiative and a sense of purpose is the task for the 'Initiative vs. Guilt' stage, which is characteristic of preschoolers (ages 3-6). A six-year-old is transitioning out of this stage and into the next.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must understand developmental stages to provide age-appropriate care and support a child's psychosocial well-being, especially during the stress of hospitalization.
For a hospitalized school-age child, nurses should facilitate a sense of industry by providing opportunities for achievement, such as continuing schoolwork, participating in their own care (e.g., recording intake), and engaging in goal-oriented play or crafts.
What if the child was 4 years old? The primary developmental task would be 'Initiative vs. Guilt.' Nursing interventions would focus on encouraging imaginative play and allowing the child to make simple choices to foster a sense of purpose.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information in the question stem: the patient's age (six years old) and the core question (developmental task).
Recognize that 'developmental task' in a nursing context often refers to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development.
Recall or look up Erikson's stages to find the one that corresponds to a six-year-old. This is the 'Industry vs. Inferiority' stage.
Evaluate the given options to find the one that best matches the description of the 'Industry vs. Inferiority' stage.
Eliminate options that describe tasks for other age groups (toddler, preschooler) or that describe physiological goals rather than psychosocial tasks.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development
Stem keywords: six year old boy, hospitalized, cystic fibrosis, developmental task
Lead-in keywords: Which
Clinical cues: Age of the patient (six years old) is the primary cue to determine the developmental stage.
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

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Reference Book

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 1 p. 164-166

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3372-3374

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3060-3062

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