Dear LS-development,
Kenny is about to graduate from high school, barely. His grades are borderline, he has few friends, no real interests, and spends most of his time after school staying in his room listening to music. He seems to have no interest in making plans for the future or even finding a job to support himself after school.
-When it comes to identity status, Kenny is in the diffusion stage. It seems as though he is too overwhelmed with the idea of planning his future, so he does little or no work to achieve this and would rather just spend time alone doing meaningless tasks. Kenny just needs some encouragement and motivation to jump start his life. It is important for the few friends that he has to support him also. If he sees that his friends are moving on in their lives, he may want to do the same. Rather than letting him sit in his room by himself for hours on end, let his friends sit in his room with him. They might surprise you and talk some sense into him.
-Editor
Kenny is about to graduate from high school, barely. His grades are borderline, he has few friends, no real interests, and spends most of his time after school staying in his room listening to music. He seems to have no interest in making plans for the future or even finding a job to support himself after school.
-When it comes to identity status, Kenny is in the diffusion stage. It seems as though he is too overwhelmed with the idea of planning his future, so he does little or no work to achieve this and would rather just spend time alone doing meaningless tasks. Kenny just needs some encouragement and motivation to jump start his life. It is important for the few friends that he has to support him also. If he sees that his friends are moving on in their lives, he may want to do the same. Rather than letting him sit in his room by himself for hours on end, let his friends sit in his room with him. They might surprise you and talk some sense into him.
-Editor
Dear LS-development,
Sue seems to change her mind every few weeks about everything. She cannot seem to settle on what she wants to do after high school. At times she says she wants to go to college, but at other times she says she wants to see the world. One minute she wants to be a doctor, the next she wants to be a writer. She is also continually changing her appearance. One month she was preppy, the next day she dyed her hair and bought a new wardrobe. Her parents are not too concerned. They support her ideas about the future and knows she will eventually find her path.
-Sue is in the Moratorium stage of development. As you described Sue as acting, people in this stage examine different alternatives, but have yet to find one that is satisfactory. Just give her some time and she will eventually decide on what she wants to do. A lot of people go through this stage while in high school or while they are college when they are trying to decide what they want to do with their lives. It is completely normal for someone not to know what they want to do early on. Making life decisions is a very important and meaningful task, so just give her time an encouragement in any and all of her decisions.
-Editor
Sue seems to change her mind every few weeks about everything. She cannot seem to settle on what she wants to do after high school. At times she says she wants to go to college, but at other times she says she wants to see the world. One minute she wants to be a doctor, the next she wants to be a writer. She is also continually changing her appearance. One month she was preppy, the next day she dyed her hair and bought a new wardrobe. Her parents are not too concerned. They support her ideas about the future and knows she will eventually find her path.
-Sue is in the Moratorium stage of development. As you described Sue as acting, people in this stage examine different alternatives, but have yet to find one that is satisfactory. Just give her some time and she will eventually decide on what she wants to do. A lot of people go through this stage while in high school or while they are college when they are trying to decide what they want to do with their lives. It is completely normal for someone not to know what they want to do early on. Making life decisions is a very important and meaningful task, so just give her time an encouragement in any and all of her decisions.
-Editor
Dear LS-development,
My son Josh has just started college this semester and is positive he wants to go to medical school. He has never considered any other career for himself. His father is a doctor, as was his grandfather. For as long as he can remember, all he has ever wanted to do is follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor as well. He is sure it is his calling. What do you make of this situation?
- In this situation Josh appears to be within the Foreclosure stage when it comes to his identity status. I assume this because both Josh's father and his grandfather were part of the medical field, so he feels that he must live up to their standards as if it is some kind of family tradition. Josh has not taken the time to explore any other options that have the potential of interesting him and catch his attention. I would tell Josh to explore and play around with some core classes this upcoming semester to see if he begins to discover an alternative route, one that he really feels linked to. Doing this might set Josh off into another direction and potential great career path that he would have never expected himself doing.
-Editor
My son Josh has just started college this semester and is positive he wants to go to medical school. He has never considered any other career for himself. His father is a doctor, as was his grandfather. For as long as he can remember, all he has ever wanted to do is follow in his father's footsteps and become a doctor as well. He is sure it is his calling. What do you make of this situation?
- In this situation Josh appears to be within the Foreclosure stage when it comes to his identity status. I assume this because both Josh's father and his grandfather were part of the medical field, so he feels that he must live up to their standards as if it is some kind of family tradition. Josh has not taken the time to explore any other options that have the potential of interesting him and catch his attention. I would tell Josh to explore and play around with some core classes this upcoming semester to see if he begins to discover an alternative route, one that he really feels linked to. Doing this might set Josh off into another direction and potential great career path that he would have never expected himself doing.
-Editor
Dear LS-development,
My sister Cindy has just graduated from college with a B.A. in psychology. It took her almost 6 years to get her degree because she changed her major so many times. First she was an English major, then it was art, next business. Finally, she took a general psychology class and was hooked. Later, she got a part-time job at a mental health facility and knew this was the field for her. Now she is going to graduate school to earn her Ph.D. in psychology. From her experience working at the mental health facility she knows she wants to be a psychologist who works with troubled children. Why did it take her so long to figure out what she wants to do with her life?
-There are a few identity statuses that adolescents may show signs of throughout their lives. From the sound of it, for a while Cindy was going through the Moratorium stage. Through this, the individual explores different alternatives, but just cannot seem to find the right fit. When she finally decided on psychology and began pursuing her Ph.D. she began showing signs of the Achievement stage. This stage occurs when the individual has tested different alternatives and has finally found the one that suits them the best. Though it seems to have taken a while, what she has now decided on will ultimately stick with her.
-Editor
My sister Cindy has just graduated from college with a B.A. in psychology. It took her almost 6 years to get her degree because she changed her major so many times. First she was an English major, then it was art, next business. Finally, she took a general psychology class and was hooked. Later, she got a part-time job at a mental health facility and knew this was the field for her. Now she is going to graduate school to earn her Ph.D. in psychology. From her experience working at the mental health facility she knows she wants to be a psychologist who works with troubled children. Why did it take her so long to figure out what she wants to do with her life?
-There are a few identity statuses that adolescents may show signs of throughout their lives. From the sound of it, for a while Cindy was going through the Moratorium stage. Through this, the individual explores different alternatives, but just cannot seem to find the right fit. When she finally decided on psychology and began pursuing her Ph.D. she began showing signs of the Achievement stage. This stage occurs when the individual has tested different alternatives and has finally found the one that suits them the best. Though it seems to have taken a while, what she has now decided on will ultimately stick with her.
-Editor