Personality Development: A Task For Early Chidhood and Adolescent.

      Adolescence is a period of confusion in life, and need to be harnessed by parents and care givers as well,

the period of adolescence begins after 11 years, by this time some children are still in their early age of schooling. Within this period the child undergoes series of development of the body organs, and there is rapid physical growth. In addition he undergoes intellectual, social, emotional and moral changes and his personality changes. According to Erickson, the major personality development during this period is the development of self identity, without which the youth drops into Role confusion.


     During adolescence the child is more concern about looking at who he is presently and what he would like to be in future. There are several task which the adolescent have to overcome if he is to establish identity. He needs to plan and establish himself in a carrier, he needs to develop his sex role as a future father and husband, he needs to build a sound philosophy of life, moral values and social relations with others.

     When significant adults in the life of the adolescent help him to achieve this, he comes to differentiate himself as a unique individual from his peers. When he is unable to do this, he becomes confused and may end up with peers or heroes and loose his own identity. He becomes confused in his roles as a unique individual.

     With identity established, the youth is now ready to seek intimacy with others. He may seek intimate friendship with a mate of the same sex or opposite sex. The venture of seeking intimacy involved sacrifices, compromises and commitment. In addition it involve taking risk, since one could lose one's identity in the process or be confronted by hostile competitive encounters.

     The youth who is capable of meeting the condition involve and facing competition and confrontations which may be encountered succeeds in developing friendship or intimacy. Those who are incapable lose the opportunity to make friends and becomes isolated.

     The task is now for parent and care givers to assists the adolescent develop this identity and intimacy. Guidance and counselling in schools becomes relevant in the adolescent's carrier planning and development, value clarification, decision making and skills development.

     Parents and care givers can assists and encourage the youth seek guidance in this area. They need to expose the youth to opportunities of socializing with peers of both sexes and opportunities of widening their scope in experience and knowledge academically, in religion and sport and in current affairs.

     Picture courtesy; margieulbrickcouselling.com