Respond to your peer:Latasha Scarborough-Dillard
Lifespan Development
COUN 6215/6214S
Summer Quarter/Walden University
Dr. Wilma Fletcher Anthony
Client: Kelsey Jeong
Kelsey Jeong is a 26- year old female of Korean descent and has come to counseling seeking support and guidance as she copes with the news that she and her husband will not be able to have children (Walden, 2021). Kelsey is married to Jin (M, 27 years); they met in college while they were studying to become teachers (Walden, 2021). Both; Kelsey and her husband Jin come from traditional families in which they are heavily involved in extended family events and believe this supports the success of their marriage. Kelsey has shared that she always wanted to be a mother, which she understands was highly influenced by her own strong mother figure, as well as broader cultural influences (Walden, 2021). In addition to being personally devastated by the recent news, Kelsey is worried about her marriage, in which she knows her husband loves her very much, but she fears that he may leave her because of her difficulty to get pregnant (Walden, 2021). Kelsey feels that fatherhood is the “most important thing in the world” to her husband—even more important than she is and Kelsey wants to consider all her options, including adoption, but her husband has been resistant (Walden, 2021).
According to Schaie’s Theory and view of adults adjusting to environmental pressures, each new stage of adult life brings new kinds of problems, with different skills more likely to play an important role in one stage than in another (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). In the case of Kelsey Jeong who is a young adult female dealing with the adjustments of being a wife and conforming to environmental pressures of wanting to give her Husband Jin a child so that he can experience “Fatherhood” and so that she does not feel like a “failure” as well. In the video podcast with Dr. Mary Hinsen, and Dr. Heather Ambrose; both counselors shared that they have noticed an increase in their young adult clients feeling extremely pressured by social media influence and environmental pressures to conform to having a certain lifestyle by a certain “age” or time stamp in their lives ( Laureate, 2019). Meaning that most young adults, such as in the case of Kelsey, feel an expectation that one should be married, have a certain type of job or career and creating be in the process of creating a “family” by a certain point in their lives. For those who are not doing this, these young adults tend to feel bad, left out and pressured to gain these things in their lives as soon as possible to measure up to the expectations of society and what they see on “social media” as well (Laureate, 2019). Schaie’s description of environmental pressures acknowledge that adults in other cultures, might show different shifts in the polishing or use of cognitive skills through life, depending on the unique demands that their environments impose (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). Schaie’s theory depiction of cognitive functioning is heavily affected by the environmental pressures people face at different times of life and how this stage for understanding other theories of young adult cognition emphasize that advancements or changes in problem solving are embedded in the new experiences faced during adulthood (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020).
Promoting Positive Development
In promoting positive development as Kelsey’s counselor; I would first work on my rapport-building process with her being that she is in a sensitive and vulnerable stage in her life right now receiving news that she will not be able to provide a child for her Husband. Research shows that Infertility is a common, yet often misunderstood experience, and infertility is an important topic for family because of its effects on families; its relevance to research in related areas, such as fertility trends and reproductive health; and its implications for practitioners who work with individuals and couples experiencing infertility is vital in the treatment of clients (Greil, McQuillan, & Shreffler, 2017). To a client like Kelsey, the meaning of parenthood means a lot to her and she knows it also means a lot to her Husband as well. In counseling Kelsey to give her support and guidance through this difficult situation, providing her with infertility education for her and her husband will be extremely helpful such as the following (a) provide education and awareness about reproduction and infertility treatment, (b) outline the role that practitioners can have in the promotion of emotional well-being, and (c) identify how to support the decision-making processes among individuals and couples treating infertility (Greil, McQuillan, & Shreffler, 2017). This will educate, provide emotional support, and help Kelsey and her husband with decision-making in the context of infertility and will give them steps to support their emotional well-being of the affect that infertility has left upon them and help them in understanding treatment approaches for individuals and couples Given these considerations, basic family science research translates into three key tasks for practitioners working with those experiencing infertility: (a) provide education and awareness about reproduction and infertility treatment, (b) outline the role that practitioners can have in the promotion of emotional well-being for clients and (c) identify how to support the decision-making processes among individuals and couples treating infertility (Greil, McQuillan, & Shreffler, 2017).
Furthermore, in utilizing Schaie’s Theory this will help me understand how adults face demands at different stages of life, such as Kelsey being in the “achieving and legacy-leaving stage” as she feels her greatest achievement right now in the stage of her life would be to have a baby and provide this experience for her husband (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). According to Schaie’s Theory; the “achieving stage” is of cognitive development when an individual must apply their intellectual skills to the achievement of their long-term goals, such that the solution to one problem must be considered and adjusted relative to other life problems and goals (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). Within the “legacy-leaving stage”, people often work to establish a written or oral account of their lives and history of their families to pass on to others such as a child in Kelsey’s case (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). In the “legacy-leaving stage” this activity would give Kelsey a sense of satisfaction, purpose and meaning to achieve creating a family for her and her husband and their legacy, in which this stage requires decision making, or the use of judgment about what is important and what is not (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020).
Lastly, to promote positive development for Kelsey within the counseling process I would set up some goals in place to help Kelsey move forward with her life in a more positive and healthy way by doing the following: (1) provide education and awareness about reproduction and infertility treatment, (2) ensure my role as counselor to Kelsey is to promote her emotional well-being (3) identify how to support the decision-making processes for her and her husband in regard to treating infertility. In the end, I expect the selection of using Schaie’s Theory will help in my counseling with Kelsey move toward the preceding three goals which will evolve around educating Kelsey on infertility prevention, detection and management, also provide emotional support, and help her and her husband with decision-making in the context of infertility through individual and family counseling (Greil, McQuillan, & Shreffler, 2017).
Summary
In conclusion, theorist Erikson described the developmental theory and tasks of young adulthood of becoming independent from family and known supports (psychologically as well as physically), of developing one’s identity and role in society, and of developing intimacy or relationships with others including romantic ones (Pao, 2017). These complex tasks, concretely denoted as leaving the parental home to establish one’s own residence, establishing financial independence (e.g. paying one’s bills), completing high school or college, moving into full-time employment, getting married, and becoming a parent, are often considered by society as key markers of adulthood but clearly vary by culture and opportunity (Pao, 2017).
Schaie argues against a new kind of adult thinking, rather stating that at different times of adult life people face different kinds of problems, and different skills are brought to bear on those problems (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020). In using Schaie’s theory; it gives the counselor an explanation of seven stages in adults intellectual functioning, with each new stage a result of shifts in the challenges people face, but also emphasizes the importance of new roles, needs and responsibilities in determining adult intellectual functioning that counselors can use in guiding appropriate care for their clients (Broderick & Blewitt, 2020).
Respond 2:
John Reeves (21) is a young adult who is seeking therapy to help with changes from the transition into adulthood. He mentioned that therapy helped him during his years as a troubled teenager and he is now looking for guidance. He recently graduated college, but is not actively working, mentioning that he wants to do more to find himself and his passion in life prior to having a set and steady career. John lives with his father and has not seen his mother since she abandoned the family 11 years ago.
Based on the Schaie Theory, John is in the achieving stage. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2020), the developmental level is impacted by environmental pressures. John, during this time in his life, faces pressures to integrate himself in society, provide for himself, as well as possibly facing pressure to gain his father’s approval.
There are many ways that I would develop rapport and promote engagement with John during the therapeutic process. I would first actively listen to John and allow him to communicate his current situation, worries, difficulties, goals, etc. It is important that he feels safe and heard. I would also encourage John to talk more about what he has accomplished or is proud of about himself. Rather than leading John to a specific outcome or thought process, I would encourage him to check in with himself and provide his own guidance as he goes, reflecting to him what he says he has learned or where he would like to be. I want to foster confidence in him and encourage self-validation. Schaie’s Theory helps in promoting positive development, because it provides an outline of the pressure the young adult must be facing. According to Broderick and Blewitt (2020), there is not only a consideration of consequences, but existing problem-solving skills are being sharpened and developed to resolve issues on a greater scale.
Developmentally Supportive Goals
One developmentally supportive goal that I have for John would be to understand how he feels about himself and separate that from his father’s perception of him. The reason for this goal is John mentioned feeling ill-prepared for life after graduating. He also has not been looking actively for work since graduating. His confidence may suffer, and he may be at risk for depression or engaging in high-risk behavior. Having internal awareness of his own perception may be key to reframing a lot of what he has learned and increasing his confidence in his ability to move forward successfully.
It is important to note in this case that support system also factors into progress and even self-esteem. John not only lacks the emotional support of his father, but also does not have the maternal bond, as his mother left the home 11 years ago. Szkody and McKinney (2019) uncovered that social support is significantly related to self-esteem. Support from both parents influences self-esteem in males. Moore and Shell (2017) further discussed that maternal support specifically, was correlated with lower internalizing and increased self-esteem. Another goal for John would be to understand the impact that the lack of support has had on him, understand the type of support that he may need, and find ways to gather a support system for himself.
Another developmentally supportive goal is for John to determine the importance of finding a job versus self-exploration and to find a way to do both or find what is blocking him from trying to work. It is possible that his lack of support as well as self-esteem is involved in his delay in looking for work, as well as a possible desire to not be like his father in how he lives his life. Rather than encouraging John to simply find work, it may be helpful to encourage his journey of finding himself and his passion, but also allowing him options to do so while working.
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