Developmental Theories of Old Age

1
Developmental Theories of Old Age

• Eriksons Ninth Stage
• Tornstams Gerotranscendence

2
Eriksons Developmental Stages

• Birth to 18 months Trust vs. mistrust
• 18 months to 3 years Autonomy vs. shame
• 3 to 5 years Initiative vs. guilt
• 6 to 12 years Industry vs. inferiority
• 12 to 18 years Identity vs. role confusion
• 18 to 35 Intimacy and solidarity vs. isolation
• 35 to 55 Generativity vs. self absorption or
  stagnation
• 55 to death Integrity vs. despair

3
Erikson experiences old age

• He lived until he was 91 and it seems during this
  time he and his co-researcher and wife, Joan
  Erikson, began to think that development
  continued past 65-70.
• After Eriks death Joan proposes a ninth
  developmental stage saying that it was not until
  their late 80s and early 90s that she and Erik
  really confronted aging.

4
Proposed Ninth Stage

• Joan Erikson proposed that in the ninth stage the
  previously resolved crisis points are revisited
• While in earlier life the positive elements of
  the stages were a source of strength, in the last
  stage strength comes from overcoming the negative
  elements

5
A Ninth Stage

• mistrust vs. trust
• shame vs. autonomy
• guilt vs. initiative
• inferiority vs. industry
• role confusion vs. identity
• isolation vs. intimacy and solidarity
• self absorption or stagnation vs. generativity
• despair vs. integrity

6

• Erikson considered that successful
• completion of the 9th stage will move an
• individual toward
• gerotranscendence

7
Gerotranscendence (Tornstam, 1997)

• Tornstam proposed his theory on the basis of
  qualitative data from 50 interviews conducted
  with people aged 52 to 97 years.
• From these interviews he noticed a shift in
  perspective by satisfied elders away from
  materialistic and physical aspects of the world
  to a more internal focus.
• Three main dimensions
• Cosmic
• Self
• Social

8
Gerotranscendence

• Cosmic
• Transcendence of borders between past and present
• Acceptance that not everything in life has an
  explanation
• New comprehension of death and of immortality
  through the genetic chain
• Increased appreciation of small joys
• Self
• Move away from egocentricity
• Ego-integrity - realisation that lifes puzzle
  pieces form a whole
• Self-confrontation, discovery of hidden aspects
  of the self, both good and bad.

9

• Social
• More selective, less interest in superficial
  relationships
• Increasing need for solitude
• Move away from materialism
• Move away from right / wrong duality

10

• Does a move toward gerotranscendence increase
  life satisfaction in old age? More research
  needed
• If we believe it could, is it possible to help
  people to move toward it?

11
Facilitating Gerotranscendence

• We could
• Acknowledge changes toward introspection as a
  normal part of aging
• Accept alternative definitions of time, or
  experiences of connection with dead relatives
• Not shy away from conversations about death
• Encourage activities such as discussion of the
  aging process, reminiscence therapy
• Allow time for solitude and meditation
• Facilitate access to quiet and peaceful times and
  places

12

• Its all about the dash
• Joan Erikson regarding the inscription on a
  headstone
• 1902-1994

13
Selected references

• Brown Lewis (2003). Psychosocial development in
  the elderly an investigation into Eriksons
  ninth stage. Journal of aging studies 17,
  415-426.
• Nygren et al. (2005). Resilience, sense of
  coherence, purpose in life and self-transcendence
  in relation to perceived physical and mental
  health among the oldest old. Aging and mental
  health 9, 354-362.
• Tornstam (1997). Gerotranscendence the
  contemplative dimension of aging. Journal of
  aging studies 11, 143-154.
• Wadensten (2005). Introducing older people to the
  theory of gero-transcendence. Journal of advanced
  nursing 52, 381-388.