Developmental Interview: Intimacy Versus Isolation
Psychology 230
Developmental Interview
The subject of my developmental interview was a twenty year old female, who thoroughly illustrated many of the concepts studied this semester during early adulthood, specifically the “social clock” and she is undoubtedly in Erikson’s theoretical stage of: Intimacy versus Isolation. (Berk, 2010)
During my interview encounter I learned that she had experienced many things in her young life that influenced her decisions to this point. Growing up in the military and living overseas afforded her unique opportunities to travel the world as a young child. She enjoyed visiting new places and living in Germany for nine years. Socially speaking, she felt for childhood the military lifestyle …show more content…
The soccer that was a social outlet as a young child, and a stress relief from a troubled home life, had turned into much more. At fourteen years old she was selected to be part of the United States Women’s Olympic Soccer Team, an amazing accomplishment. As training began the unthinkable happened, she was injured, and required to have a surgery that ultimately cost her chance of a lifetime. This event set the stage for a whirlwind of events. Without soccer, she was not socializing, she was not getting away from the stress at home, she was not exercising and began to gain weight, and her body image was deteriorating. Within one year her life had been turned upside down from elation to clinical depression and bulimia. At fifteen she attempted suicide. Fortunately her parents intervened and sought help, and today she describes herself as a new …show more content…
She was very relaxed, open, and eager to communicate. With so much turmoil, I was curious to know why she was willing to share so freely and she replied by saying only that “we all come from different places, have unique things to share, and it can be therapeutic not to hide behind the skeletons.” I found my subject to be a very logical thinker, she tends to let logic guide her thoughts and emotions a very matter of fact type personality. For example, my subject is a current nursing student, a classmate of mine. I found it very interesting to discuss how we both elected nursing. While my decision was a lifelong journey, one of fulfillment and deep emotional connection, her decision was based on wanting a job with some authority, to be involved in a job sector that was secure and paid well, but that could also afford the chance to help out. She was searching for professions based on her abilities and strengths, another example of logic over emotion. Personally I feel that she is still a bit guarded from life, still searching, and still learning to be intimate not isolated. I believe throughout our entire interview a she had genuine desire present to attain financial and personal independence, find the right person to form a life commitment with and begin a family. Erikson’ theory states that an individual in this conflict stage is trying to resolve their
Developmental Interview
The subject of my developmental interview was a twenty year old female, who thoroughly illustrated many of the concepts studied this semester during early adulthood, specifically the “social clock” and she is undoubtedly in Erikson’s theoretical stage of: Intimacy versus Isolation. (Berk, 2010)
During my interview encounter I learned that she had experienced many things in her young life that influenced her decisions to this point. Growing up in the military and living overseas afforded her unique opportunities to travel the world as a young child. She enjoyed visiting new places and living in Germany for nine years. Socially speaking, she felt for childhood the military lifestyle …show more content…
The soccer that was a social outlet as a young child, and a stress relief from a troubled home life, had turned into much more. At fourteen years old she was selected to be part of the United States Women’s Olympic Soccer Team, an amazing accomplishment. As training began the unthinkable happened, she was injured, and required to have a surgery that ultimately cost her chance of a lifetime. This event set the stage for a whirlwind of events. Without soccer, she was not socializing, she was not getting away from the stress at home, she was not exercising and began to gain weight, and her body image was deteriorating. Within one year her life had been turned upside down from elation to clinical depression and bulimia. At fifteen she attempted suicide. Fortunately her parents intervened and sought help, and today she describes herself as a new …show more content…
She was very relaxed, open, and eager to communicate. With so much turmoil, I was curious to know why she was willing to share so freely and she replied by saying only that “we all come from different places, have unique things to share, and it can be therapeutic not to hide behind the skeletons.” I found my subject to be a very logical thinker, she tends to let logic guide her thoughts and emotions a very matter of fact type personality. For example, my subject is a current nursing student, a classmate of mine. I found it very interesting to discuss how we both elected nursing. While my decision was a lifelong journey, one of fulfillment and deep emotional connection, her decision was based on wanting a job with some authority, to be involved in a job sector that was secure and paid well, but that could also afford the chance to help out. She was searching for professions based on her abilities and strengths, another example of logic over emotion. Personally I feel that she is still a bit guarded from life, still searching, and still learning to be intimate not isolated. I believe throughout our entire interview a she had genuine desire present to attain financial and personal independence, find the right person to form a life commitment with and begin a family. Erikson’ theory states that an individual in this conflict stage is trying to resolve their