engleski

Parenthood and Parenting from the Perspective of a Life-Span Psychosocial Development

In the past hundred years numerous empirical studies have confirmed parental behavior to be a significant environmental factor for overall personality development. Some of the authors of the grand theory of personality (Freud, Adler, Erikson) theorized about parental influence on child development. In discussing parenting from the perspective of psychosocial development, we will briefly present Erikson‟s basic ideas on the stages of development during the course of life, particularly considering the meaning of parents‟ behavior on child development. One of the reasons for choosing Erikson‟s theory as a framework for analyzing parenting is the fact that Erikson realized that people, during their development, look into both the future and the past, and that they construct their future depending on their past relevant experiences. Another reason is the openness of his theory which gives scientists the possibility of constructing new theories and models about essential concepts in modern and post-modern social circumstances (e.g., emerging adulthood, transition to parenthood, models of generativity, new measures of integrity, ninth stage of psychosocial development etc.). Following the overview of Erikson‟s theory, its modifications and its basic concepts relevant for the experience and practice of parenting in different periods of life, we will discuss the probable importance of virtues acquired by the successful resolutions of crises through the eight stages of development, that is, ego strengths (hope, will, purpose, competence, fidelity, love, care and wisdom).

stadial development, modifications of Erikson‟s theory, the practice and experience of parenting, ego strengths (virtue)

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