03 - Maturational tasks

Maturational tasks

© SPMM Course Models and theories Developmental theories aim to explain how children grow and learn. Of these stage, theories refer to theories that consider development as a process that occurs over a 12- to the l5-year period in chunks of time called stages. Within each stage, a specific set of functioning and behaviour can be observed. Certain maturational tasks (motor, cognitive and perceptual) are also achieved in each stage, heralding transition to next stage of development. Piaget’s theory is a prototype stage theory focused on epistemology (the study of the development of knowledge or intelligence). According to Piaget, development

1. Occurs in hierarchical stages
2. Each stage is qualitatively different ( not just quantitatively)
3. The stages consist of invariant functions and all children undergo these sequentially Other stage theorists include Gesell, Freud and Erikson. Maturational tasks Age Motor Language Sensory Social development 4-6 weeks

Smiles at the parent (social smile - 6 weeks); can recognise mum’s face apart; shows preference to human faces. 6-8 weeks Cooing

3 months Can hold head up. grasp reflex disappears Babbling Localises sound source Squeals with pleasure appropriately. Discriminates smile 5 months Reaches out; oral exploration Spontaneous babbling and sound experiments

6 months Hand to hand transfer rolling over Palmar grasp Double syllable sounds such as 'dada.' Localises sound 45cm lateral to either ear

9-10 months Cruises around and crawls. Sits unsupported. Picks up objects with pincer grasp Babbles tunefully Looks for toys dropped; Peek a boo Stranger anxiety followed by object permanence

© SPMM Course game 1 year Stands alone momentarily One or two words

Separation anxiety months Walks alone. Holds rails and climbs, can jump with both feet. Can build a tower of 3 or 4 cubes and throw a ball (1 X 3). Can use a spoon. Many intelligible words – up to 40 in some. Uses holophrases.

Shows rapprochement ( hugs when coming back). 2 years Able to run. Builds tower of 6 cubes (2 X 3) Makes sentences – telegraphic initially.

Parallel play. Dry by day 3 years Goes upstairs 1 foot per step and downstairs 2 feet per step. Copies circle, imitates cross and draws the man on request. Builds tower of 9 cubes (3 X 3) Speaks in sentences

Cooperative play. Imaginary companions 4 years Can skip; copies a cross

Toilet trained mostly 5 years Can hop; copies a triangle. Fluent speech with grammar use; uses function words

Dresses and undresses alone 6 years Copies a diamond. Can count number of fingers Nearly adultlike speech

© SPMM Course A brief outline of various developmental theories is presented in the table below. These will be considered in detail in later sections of this chapter.

Theories Key Concepts Temperament theory (Thomas & Chess, Kagan) Temperaments are inherent biologically based traits varying from difficult to easy (or inhibited to uninhibited). Temperament elicits environmental response that perpetuates a pattern of behaviour Organismic stage theory (Piaget) Development occurs in stages with transition occurring as a result of interaction of the child with its environment (child as a scientist) Attachment theory (Bowlby) Innate tendency to seek relationships influence patterns of behaviours in later life. Social learning theory (Bandura) Observational learning in childhood influences later behaviour Psychosexual stage theory (Freud) Stage-specific behaviours are driven by inner conflicts and resulting anxiety signals. Successful resolution of conflicts aid in progressive maturation. Psychosocial stage theory (Erikson) Psychosocial developmental stages are characterized by conflicts, but the successful resolution is not mandatory for further development. Collaborative learning theory (Vygotsky) Development is not entirely private; child acts as an apprentice in social surroundings rather than a scientist. Parents and teachers carry out the role of scaffolding to introduce familiarity for the child to develop its own expertise (collaborative learning). Zone of proximal development refers to functions that are not yet fully achieved but are in the process ‘pipeline’ whose development is aided by scaffolding. Maturational Growth theory (Gesell) Maturation of the nervous system as the principal driver of the various aspects of human behaviour

© SPMM Course Freud’s psychosexual stages: Gradual, the sequential emergence of genital sexuality from infantile sexuality is noted in Freud’s model. The stages discussed here reflect both biological and psychological maturation. Freud’s Psychosexual Stage Characteristics ORAL (0 to 1 ½ years) Drive discharge is via sucking; oral erotogenic zone. oral erotism (sucking, licking, etc.) in early stages; oral sadism (biting, chewing) in later stages. The ego develops at this stage. ANAL (1 ½ to 3 years) Anal erotogenic zone; drive discharge via sphincter behaviour. Anal erotism refers to the sexual pleasure in anal functioning. Anal sadism refers to the aggressive wishes linked to fecal expulsion. Anal fixation is characterized by OCD like pattern – also ambivalence and sadomasochistic tendencies are associated. PHALLIC/OEDIPAL (3 to 5 yrs) Genitals become organs of interest; masturbation-like activity noted. Oedipus complex – wish to have a libidinal relationship with opposite sex parent (Electra complex in girls) with a desire to exclude the rival parent. This lead to a fear of retaliation from the rival parent in the form of castration anxiety in boys and loss of mother’s love in girls. Electra complex in girls include penis envy, a wish to have penis is accompanied by blaming the mother for absence of penis; later this becomes a secret wish to displace mother as object of father’s love and bear his baby. At the resolution of Oedipus and Electra complexes, identification with the aggressor i.e. dad for a boy and mum for a girl occurs; superego develops from introjection of parental values. Abraham divided this into early partial genital (true phallic phase) and later mature genital phase. LATENCY (5 to puberty approx.11yrs) Socialization, interest in peers seen. Sexual energy sublimated towards school work, hobbies and friends GENITAL (puberty onwards) Biological maturation occurs; genital sexuality is born.