Aim of assessment: 

One important way that infants and young children learn about their world is through their psychosocial devel- opment. This assessment item aims to provide you with an opportunity to explore the psychosocial development of children in more detail. Throughout the unit, you will examine psychological, social (psychosocial), cognitive and moral components of human development and understand the relationship of these to the shaping of an individual's self-concept. Commencing in infancy with attachment to parents and caregivers, psychosocial development, accord- ing to Erikson, continues throughout the lifespan and involves interactions with caregivers, peers, educators, and the wider social context. This development may be influenced by a variety of normative (expected) and non-normative (deviations from usual) events or circumstances which influence infant and early childhood development (Hoffnung et al, 2016). 

Scenario topic 2: Bachelor of Nursing students only 

Read the following: 

Julie, aged 2 years and 2 months old, is attending day care two days a week for five hours each day while her mother Victoria works. Victoria is concerned that her daughter is not yet toilet trained during the day or night, especially since she has noticed that other children her daughter's age seem to have mastered this skill during the day. Julie is speaking in four to five word sentences and communicating her needs well. The Child and Family Health Nurse has reassured Victoria that Julie is meeting all her developmental milestones, and will soon gain continence in her own time. The Nurse has referred Victoria to a mother's group in her local area to discuss strategies for toilet-training in a relaxed, informal environment. 

Essay Topic: Drawing on relevant nursing and social science literature, and referring to the scenario Case Study 2, write an essay on the following topic:
What are some important aspects of pychosocial development that occur in children between the ages of two and five years (2-5 years), and what influences this development?

Introduction

Psychosocial development enables children to educate themselves about the world that surrounds them. The thesis statement of this essay is to explore psychosocial developments in a child aged 2 to 5 years. The essay examines psychosocial, moral and cognitive constituents of human development to comprehend interaction of the child with the people around them. Attachment is an inherent characteristic of a child that commences with infancy. This development does not barricade itself in the growing years, rather commences throughout the entire lifespan of an individual. The case study of Julie, a two-year-old child is discussed in this essay to shed light on her psychosocial development. 

Psychosocial development for children aged 2 to 5 years

Identification and discussion of normative instances 

Psychosocial development in children is initiated from their infancy. In the present case scenario, Julie is a two-year-old child who has shown commendable development in her communication and interactive skills. In Julie's age, she has been showing the characteristics of development in her day care centre. According to Tudge et al. (2016), a child of two years of age must be capable of communicating their needs in simple words and recognise their surroundings. However, Julie's mother Victoria is worried about her daughter's incontinence. As stated by Narvaez et al. (2013), lack of appropriate toilet training can pose detrimental effect on a child's psychosocial development. With increasing age, Julie may develop a drop in her confidence levels. However, the caregiver of the day care centre in which Julie is enrolled in concludes that the child is showing appropriate development as per her age group. Subsequently, two-year-olds initiate to exhibit more independence during this age and are often interested in interacting with their surroundings. However, lack of communication skills can induce frustration in the children. In case of Julie, it seems to not be of a problem for the child to interact with her peers. Hence, it can be effectively stated that Julie is showing normal developmental pace in accordance to her capabilities.

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