Life Span Development Models and Assessment of Service Users - Essay Example

? Life Span Development Models and Assessment of Service Users Introduction In the assessment service users by employing lifespan development models,the age profile of the service users is very important, because psychological, social and environmental framework, grief manifestations and the emotional behavior of the people vary based on the phase of the life cycle, level of understanding and maturity. In this context, three service users with different age profiles are assessed; service user A is 14 yrs old, service user B is 35 Yrs old and service user C is 75 yrs old. Lifespan development models Thinking faculties of the people differ according to their age, and under the same situations or circumstances, people of different age groups tend to react differently to the environmental changes. The accumulation of experience being an important underlying factor; the attributes with peculiar slant i.e. youthful or adult and the transition stages in the development are reflected in the maturity demonstrated in the actions. There have been several models proposed by the different intellectuals and scholars like Aristotle, Solon, Confucius and Shakespeare which divided life into stages of various timelines in each stage. The relevance of the different classifications might have been appropriate to the structure of the society prevailing at a particular period in the history or the degree of the refinement intended by these authorities. According to the Levinson’s model ‘each era has its distinctive and unifying character of learning’ (Tennant and Pogson 1995, p.72) Essentially, according to Levinson, the life cycle is chronologically composed of: pre adulthood (conception - age 22), early adult transition (age 17 - age 22), early adulthood (age 17 - age 45), midlife transition (age 40 - age 45), middle adulthood (age 40 - age 65), late adulthood transition (age 60 - 65), and late adulthood (age 60 - death). Thus, Levinson proposes a very specific age-dependent conception of the life cycle. (Woolf, 1998) The inconsistency in the description of life-span or life cycle in the models as propounded in various theories could be confusing in the absence of clear-cut definitions. The terms ‘life-span’, and ‘life cycle’ and its classification are often used interchangeably with overlapping. However, in a broader sense, life-span being life from conception to death, life-span development is about the approach to the study of developments taking place in the life-span. It is also important to understand that the development is a continuous process and very dynamic; similarly the environment which undergoes changes constantly and is dynamic. The young persons’ needs at the age of 14 vary from education, accommodation to health and emotional welfare. The persons at times may not be able to express their need due to lack of experience or understanding. An experienced professional should be in a position to make assessment through observance and interaction by integrating family support and parental responsibility wherever possible. The filial and family relationships, occupational and other relationships at the community level undergo changes or getting modified in adulthood, and therefore B at the age of 35 is exposed to the related issues. The balancing act of being independent as well being part of the community or society without impairing one’s independence in line with the needs of the business or profession and for its future growth should be considered at this stage, and therefore, analysis of these factors in the assessment is important. In the case of C, providing for proper place of preference for living plays an important role, because the person should feel more comfortable or accepted by the community. Psychological and social framework Though the purpose of assessment varies from person to person or the type of health and social care services needed. The interaction or relationship between the individual and the environment is interdependent, very complex and is predominantly guided by the psychological disposition of an individual in relation to the social framework. The psychological behavior of the traumatized persons suggest they pass through the grief in stages, initial shock and disbelief, intermediate stage of acute mourning followed by the assimilation of loss and returning to normal life. In some cases a person tries to avoid thoughts of the traumatic events not accepting the event or deny that the incident or loss has occurred by detaching from the environment. Support from the family, friends and the community is very important in overcoming these problems which would persuade a person to reconcile to the realities in life and accept them as normal. When adulthood is the focus of attention, Sugarman (1986, p.6) argues that the additional role-related categories are frequently introduced – marriage, career and sex-role development, for example. The relevance of environment to human development Mukherjee & Chakraborty (2010) states that enhanced economic growth in a country may get translated into economic development and improve Human Development (HD) level. The HD augmentation in the current period may in turn strengthen the perception about environmental sustainability in the subsequent periods. Education background of the family or the community as a whole, apart from the customs and values prevailing in the communities or societies reflects in the growth of the individual. Similarly, the financial background of the family affords or denies certain privileges and opportunities to the children; it maybe in the form of parental love also in the case of an affluent families, where the parents may not be in a position to allocate time for their children.. Sigelman & Rider (2009, p. 81) state that a deprived and un-stimulating environment drags most children down, regardless of whether their genetic potential is high or low, but that some families living in poverty are able to offer a home environment that helps their children thrive despite their economic disadvantage. Undernourishment or malnourishment in the poor families of the third world countries is a pertinent point to be underlined which aggravates the situation further. The environment and its dynamics in respect the three service users, A, B and C because of their different backgrounds, approaches to life and their position in the life cycle, apart from their individual temperament, preferences, family background, status in the society and life style, also play an important role in the development. Lifespan development theory The factors affecting the developments in a human being are multifarious such as intellectual, physical and social, and the phenomenon of this development varies from person to person considering the environmental impacts and the paths taken by the individuals which could have been guided by the opportunities or the constraints imposed along the way due to internal and external factors. According to Sigelman & Rider (2009, p. 3) “Age is only the rough indicator of developmental status, there are huge differences in functioning and personality among individuals of the same age group”. Different theories are founded on the different concepts, and the understanding of the theoretical perspective involves experience and discretion as the conclusions could be on genealogical basis, environmental or cultural basis, often with contradictory hypotheses. Counting on the trees one should not get lost in the woods, because specific purpose of the assessment should always be given top priority, rather than the theoretical considerations which are obviously generalized in nature cutting across several barriers to render a bird’s eye view of the problem at hand, instead of giving any solution to the particular problem in our hands. For example, “Research on developmental and aging-related processes, relying on a variety of designs and methods, provides information on population average patterns of change, individual differences in level and rate of change, and the dynamics of within-person processes (Hofer & Piccinin, 2010, p. 270) The theory of lifespan development is extensive with scholars like Freud, Erikson and contributed greatly towards the development of various concepts. For instance, according to Sugarman (p.8) the Pervin and Lewis model is basically a combination of organismic and mechanical perspectives. Both the individual and the environment are accorded (potential) causal status. The person and the environment are seen as composed of separate entities which meet and interact at an interface. However, the crux of the problem revolves around the requirement under the specific and practical circumstances for the practitioner to be efficient, taking into account all the factors including moral sphere. Knowledge about how human lifespan development facilitates analysis of the gamut of relationships in human life with reference to profession, family, love and other aspects of the life, mostly non material in nature. Sugarman(1986, p. 2) states that “A more formal definition of the life course would be ‘the sequence of events and experiences in a life from birth until death, and the chain of personal states and encountered situations which influence, and are influenced by the sequence of events’ (Runyan, 1978, p. 570). The concerns of life-span developmental psychology are typically broad.” Attachment, Loss and bereavement Attachment makes people become sensitive to loss, especially loss of life, and the bereaved persons are traumatized by the events such as death, disasters, war and serious accidents. Shuchter, Downs and Zisook (1996, p. 31) state “they are especially sensitive to loss which so lowers their self-esteem and increase their psychic pain that it may become intolerable”. The response may become complicated and lead to social withdrawal, emotional depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger and sadness. These emotional and behavioral responses in respect of isolation from an attachment figure are common among the young children. This separation distress is normal and the adults are able to control their emotions well, and usually don’t exhibit these behaviors. In the case ager persons (for example, C), the anxiety would be mainly due to fear about lack of support and security; but love, attachment and dissociation from one’s environment play an important role in the case of A or B. The gradual return to normality after assimilation of the loss depends on various factors such as family and community support, financial background, level of understanding and the maturity of the persons. Gender Lifespan developmental issues related to gender depends upon the social structure and the cultural differences. As far as access to service, gender has no special significance. However, the preferences of the younger persons for a male or female worker are given due consideration. Discrimination in respect of gender is predominantly noticed in the third world countries, and in certain religions, though the situation is improving worldwide. The role of women in the families and the communities, and the consideration or respect for their role, especially when they are affected, there are variations observed in various communities and societies. Therefore, the assessment needs to take into account this aspect as well. In fact age, race and gender differences play an important role in the assessment in this respect. For example, women (in the categories of A & B), more appropriately relevant to girls and working women are particular about their eating habits, appearance and body weight, and it is more related to personality angle. Moreover, due to their unique physical and psychological issues (for example, menstrual cycles), assessment process with reference to particular purpose and/or age groups may vary according to the needs. Cultural differences In the lifespan developmental issues, cultural background plays an important role. Sigelman & Rider (2009, p. 112) state that different cultures have different views of the desirability of having children. In some, large family it is a status symbol, whereas in the People’s Republic of China, a “one-child policy” discourages multiple childbearing. In some cultures interaction of the parents with the children, especially the father’s is at very low level. The family support and the support at the community level in palliative or terminal care is grounded on the cultural background of the community to a greater extent, and a positive approach to the issues would make a great difference in the services and its effect on the patients. McArdle (2004) states that in the contemporary Western context, or indeed among communities affected by the demands of globalization, ADHD [Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and life-span development] is attended by significant risks to well-being and health. Conclusion The interaction between the persons and the environment is constant and in this process, reciprocal pressures on the individuals and the environment need to be considered in its proper perspective for the effective understanding and assessment. The emphasis of the humanistic psychologists on one’s ability to influence the course of life is very relevant in the assessment process, because, at the end of the day achieving the objectives of the service is of paramount importance, and it hinges on the confidence, ability and cooperation of the person. References Cradle, P. (2004) Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and life-span development, The British Journal of Psychiatry (2004) 184: 468-469, [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2011].  Hofer, S.M., & Puccini, A.M. (2010) toward an integrative science of life-span development and aging, Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 65B (3), 269–278, doi:10.1093/gerund/gbq017. Advance Access published on March 17, 2010. Mukherjee, S. & Chakraborty, D. (2010) Is there any Relationship between Environment, Human Development, Political and Governance Regimes? Evidences from a Cross-Country Analysis, Munich Personal RePEc Archive, [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2011].  Shuchter, S. R., Downs, N. & Zisook, S. (1996) Biologically Informed Psychotherapy For Depression, ISBN 1-57230-069-8. The Gilford Press, New York. Sigelman, C. K. & Rider, E. A. (2009) Life-Span Human Development, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, U.S., 6th Ed. Sugarman, L. (1986) Life-span development: concepts, theories, and interventions, Methuen & Co., New York. Tennant, M. & Pogson, P. (1995) Learning and change in the adult years: a developmental perspective, Jossey-Bass, John Wiley & Sons, San Francisco. Woolf, L. M. (1998) Theoretical Perspectives Relevant to Developmental Psychology, [online] Available at: [Accessed 18 February 2011].  Read More