Case Background
Elisa, a lady of Latin American ancestry, is a 35-year-old unauthorized immigrant. She has two kids, 7 and 9 years old, and is married. Elisa relies on her husband, Joe, who works at a nearby farm and is seldom home, for financial support. Joe abuses Elisa physically and verbally and has a drinking problem. Accordingly, he has abused the kids verbally.
Elisa cannot work because of her immigrant status and weak English proficiency. She is seeking help from a domestic violence program since she has no relatives in the area. Elisa is at the developmental stage, known as the middle adult stage, which is connected to building a feeling of identity and autonomy. Because of her weak English proficiency, financial and legal dependency on her spouse, and lack of family and social support, she struggles with emotions of powerlessness and loss of control.
Her children, the domestic violence program she is using, and the neighborhood she lives in makes up Elisa’s support network. She could benefit from extra help, such as legal assistance, mental health care, and English language instruction.
Elisa’s condition would be improved by strengthening her feeling of autonomy and control and her access to tools, information, and support, according to the treatment plan’s objectives. It could be achieved by giving her access to legal counsel and support, setting her up with mental health services, and offering her English language instruction. Giving her access to extra community resources and assistance, such as job training and placement assistance, may further assist her in achieving financial independence and a feeling of security.
Elisa still lives with her abuser. Therefore, the therapy program should emphasize safety and self-care. Developing a safety plan to safeguard her and her children should be part of the plan, as should techniques for controlling her emotions as well as identifying abuse red flags. The treatment approach should also include family counseling to address the interactions between Elisa, Joe, and their kids.
Statement of the Presenting Problem
Elisa is a married 35-year-old illegal immigrant with two children, aged 7 and 9. She is financially reliant on Joe, her emotionally and physically violent spouse. Elisa cannot seek assistance because of her weak English proficiency, immigrant status, and lack of family and social support. Joe’s verbal abuse has also targeted the children. Consequently, Elisa faces various challenges in her search for a secure and stable home for herself and her family.
Theory
Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Crises and Tasks was selected as the theory to comprehend Elisa’s condition in this case study. This theory focuses on an individual’s psychosocial development and how doing particular activities well at each stage of life might contribute to successful growth later in life (Maree, 2021).
According to Erikson, Elisa is in the middle adulthood stage of life, defined by the job of generativity vs. stagnation. Generativity is a feeling of being productive and contributing to society, while stagnation is characterized by indifference and a lack of purpose. This assignment is especially important for Elisa, who feels trapped in her present circumstances.
Trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, identity vs. role confusion, and generativity vs. stagnation are the essential components of Erikson’s Theory. It is necessary to consider how she may have struggled with some of these chores earlier in her life and how this may affect her present circumstances (Maree, 2021). For example, suppose Elisa did not feel encouraged in her growth of autonomy and initiative as a kid. In that case, this may have influenced her present feeling of agency in leaving her marriage.
Elisa needs help progressing, which means finding a solution to her current challenge of generativism vs. stagnation. It might be accomplished by assisting Elisa in identifying her particular qualities and abilities and how she can utilize them to benefit society. It might include looking at methods for her to be more productive, such as taking online courses, volunteering, or working with a mentor to develop new skills. Therefore, it is critical to give Elisa the means she needs to leave her marriage, such as secure housing and financial support.
Reasons for the Selected Theory
Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Crises and Tasks is a good fit for studying Elisa’s position since it gives a framework for comprehending her present difficulties. Elisa could be imprisoned in her present circumstances, with her husband’s maltreatment making it impossible for her to finish the generativity assignment. Elisa can comprehend her present developmental crises and the job ahead of her using this Theory. She may strive towards achieving a feeling of productivity and meaning in her life.
The Theory also provides a framework for investigating Elisa’s previous experiences and their impact on her present circumstances (Elder, 2022). Finally, the Theory provides a holistic method to comprehend Elisa’s life and allows for the exploration of alternative remedies.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Crises and Tasks provides a framework for understanding an individual’s psychosocial development and how their previous experiences might impact their present circumstances. It also gives a thorough approach to analyzing a person’s life and a chance to discuss possible solutions (Maree, 2021). Moreover, the idea gives a defined set of activities and objectives that could be used to monitor progress and accomplishments, which may aid in generating a feeling of accomplishment and purpose.
One of Erikson’s Theory’s shortcomings is that it is a rather wide and generic approach, which might lead to a lack of specificity when applied to particular circumstances. Likewise, the approach ignores the intersectionality of many identities and the specific issues that come with them. For example, Elisa’s immigrant status and financial reliance on her husband may impede her progress toward obtaining generativity. Consequently, the Theory does not consider Elisa’s political, economic, and social settings, which may restrict the viable alternatives accessible to her.
Cultural Competence
Cultural competency is essential to any therapy method, including Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Crises and Tasks. When applying this Theory to Elisa’s circumstances, it is important to examine her cultural identity and background. Elisa, as an illegal immigrant, will likely have faced prejudice, stereotyping, and other marginalization due to her immigration status (VBI, 2023). Elisa’s race, language, and cultural values may also influence her experience.
As a result, it is critical that the therapist using Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Crises and Tasks, be culturally competent and attentive to Elisa’s distinct cultural background. It includes a grasp of her cultural norms, values, and beliefs and how they may have impacted her worldview (Maree, 2021). Therefore, the therapist should be conscious of any biases or prejudices in their cultural identity and how they may affect their relationships with Elisa.
Implications
In Elisa’s situation, the implications of Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Crises and Tasks include recognizing her present crisis, which is critical for her to discover a feeling of productivity and meaning in her life. This notion assists Elisa in comprehending how her previous experiences created her present circumstances and how she might utilize those experiences to go ahead (Colaizzi et al., 2020).
This notion also assists Elisa in understanding how her present choices and activities might lead to greater success in the future. Elisa may get insight into how she might live a more satisfying life by analyzing her present problem and the responsibilities ahead of her.
References
Colaizzi, J. M., Flagel, S. B., Joyner, M. A., Gearhardt, A. N., Stewart, J. L., & Paulus, M. P. (2020). Mapping sign-tracking and goal-tracking onto human behaviors. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 111, 84–94. Web.
Elder, L. (2022). Critical thinking. Web.
Maree, J. G. (2021). The psychosocial development theory of Erik Erikson: a critical overview. The Influence of Theorists and Pioneers on Early Childhood Education, pp. 119–133. Web.
VBI, A. (2023). Social Psychology. Behavior Lab conformity. Web.