Lifespan Development

Chapter 24: Lifespan Development

Objectives

• Differentiate among the types of family patterns and their functions in society.
• Describe different types of stresses that commonly affect today’s families.
• Describe Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development.
• Describe physical characteristics of each stage of the life cycle.
• List psychosocial changes at different stages of development.
• Describe normal age-related changes affecting major body systems.
• Discuss the impact of the aging process on personality.
• Discuss Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development.
• Describe cognitive changes during early childhood.
• Discuss the developmental tasks during adolescence.
• List the developmental tasks for early adulthood.
• List the developmental tasks for middle adulthood.
• Define aging.
• Discuss theories surrounding aging.

Life Expectancy and Mortality

• Life Expectancy: Number of years an individual is expected to live based on averages for similar characteristics.
  • 2019 Statistics:
  • Average life expectancy in the U.S. was 76.3 years for men and 81.4 years for women.
  • Rates of life expectancy increases have slowed since the 1980s.
  • Many countries have a higher life expectancy than the U.S.
  • Increased death rates in young and middle-aged adults attributed to drug addiction, overdoses, and lifestyle choices related to premature deaths.
• Infant Mortality Rate: Number of deaths before age 1.
  • Notably higher for African Americans compared to white infants.

Healthy People 2030 Goals

1. Attain healthy, thriving lives free from preventable disease and injury.
2. Eliminate health disparities and achieve health equity.
3. Create supportive environments that promote health and well-being.
4. Support healthy behaviors across all life stages.
5. Engage community leadership to design policies that improve health for all.

Health Promotion Across the Lifespan

• Development is a lifelong process from conception to death.
• Stages of Lifespan Development:
  • Infancy: Birth to 1 year
  • Toddler: 1 to 3 years
  • Preschool: 3 to 5 years
  • School Age: 6 to 12 years
  • Adolescence: 13 to 19 years
  • Early Adulthood: 20 to 40 years
  • Middle Adulthood: 40 to 65 years
  • Late Adulthood: 65 years and over
• Growth and development are holistic, encompassing physical, social, mental, and emotional dimensions.

Growth and Development Principles

• Continuous changes throughout life influenced by various factors.
• Growth: Increase in size.
• Development: Gradual process of change from simple to complex functions.
  • Growth Patterns:
  • Cephalocaudal: Development progresses from head to feet.
  • Proximodistal: Development proceeds from the center outward.

Patterns of Growth

• Influenced by genetics, nutrition, and environment.
• Chromosomes: Structures providing genetic information influencing traits such as height and color.

Conception and Development

• Conception: Union of sperm and ovum producing a zygote with 23 pairs of chromosomes.
• Teratogens: Agents that cause abnormalities in fetal development (e.g., drugs, alcohol).

Definitions and Functions of Family

• Family: Basic societal unit comprising individuals bonded by legal or emotional ties.
• Functions include protection, education, nurturance, and socialization.

Cultural Considerations in Family Dynamics

• Understand family values, authority structures, decision-making patterns, and rituals.
• Recognize how religious beliefs influence health responses.

Changes Affecting Modern Families

• Economic shifts, increased women's workforce participation, and changes in marriage and childbearing patterns have altered family structures.

Types of Families

1. Nuclear Family: Parents and biological children living independently.
2. Extended Family: Nuclear family plus other relatives living together.
3. Single-Parent Family: One parent handling both parental roles.
4. Blended Family: Formed when adults remarry and combine children from previous unions.
5. Cohabiting Families: Unmarried couples sharing responsibilities.
6. LGBTQ Family: Parents identifying as LGBTQ, raising children together.
7. Adoptive Family: Non-biological children integrated into a family.
8. Grandfamilies: Grandparents raising grandchildren.
9. Foster Family: Temporary guardianship for children from unstable homes.

Qualities of Functional Families

• Commitment to well-being, appreciation for efforts, effective communication, established values, and adaptability are essential for a functional family.

Stages of Family Development

• Engagement Stage: Acknowledgment of intent to marry.
• Establishment Stage: Transition from single to married life.
• Expectant Stage: Adjustments during pregnancy.
• Parenthood Stage: Begins at birth/adoption of first child,
• Disengagement Stage: Children departing home.
• Senescence Stage: Reflects on the life cycle and transitions into old age.

Family Stressors

• Chronic illness, divorce, abuse, and financial stress can greatly impact family dynamics.

Stages of Growth and Development

• Psychosocial Development as per Erik Erikson: A life cycle composed of eight developmental stages.
• Cognitive and Intellectual Development: Discussions pertain to Jean Piaget’s theories.

Erickson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

Sequence of Language Development

• 3 months: Babbling.
• 1 year: Recognition of words and production of holo phrases.
• Preschool age: Vocabulary expands significantly.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

1. Sensorimotor (Birth to 2 Years)
   • Exploration through senses and motor abilities. Develops object permanence.
2. Preoperational Thought (2 to 7 Years)
   • Egocentric and imaginative; begins logical thinking.
3. Concrete Operational Thought (7 to 11 Years)
   • Develops logical operations related to concrete experiences.
4. Formal Operational Thought (12+ Years)
   • Development of systematic and abstract thinking.

Physical Characteristics During Early Development

Infancy (0-1 Year)

• Rapid physical changes.
• Growth follows the cephalocaudal and proximodistal patterns (1.5 lbs per month until 5 months, doubled birth weight by 4 to 6 months).
• Vital signs show a decrease in heart and respiratory rates over infanthood.

Toddler (1-3 Years)

• Slower growth rate than infancy; physical abilities increase (walking, climbing).
• Frequent adjustments in self-care skills.

Preschool Age (3-5 Years)

• Physical growth persists with improved gross and fine motor skills.

School Age (6-12 Years)

• Sustained growth, development of independence, refined social and cognitive skills.

Adolescence (12-19 Years)

• Significant growth spurts, onset of puberty brings about reproductive changes and emotional turmoil.

Early Adulthood (20-40 Years)

• Peak physical condition and well-being; optimal functioning.

Middle Adulthood (40-65 Years)

• Gradual decline in physical attributes, increasing health concerns.
• Midlife reassessment for career and personal life.

Late Adulthood (65+ Years)

• Aging is a natural condition with a significant emphasis on coping strategies and health maintenance.

Theories of Aging

• Biological Theories:

  • Autoimmunity, Free Radical, Wear-and-Tear, and Genetic theories.

• Psychological Theories:

  • Disengagement, Activity, and Continuity theories.

Conclusion: Aging and Personality

• The impact of aging on personality stems from cumulative experiences throughout life.
• Successful aging aligns with active participation in meaningful activities, acceptance of self, and engagement within society.