Predicting Ego Integrity Using Prior Ego Development Stages for Older Adults in the Community

Pei-Yun Chen, Wen-Chao Ho, Chyi Lo and Tzu-Pei Yeh
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Pei-Yun Chen: Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan
Wen-Chao Ho: Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan
Chyi Lo: School of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan
Tzu-Pei Yeh: School of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung 406040, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-9

Abstract: Background: Erikson’s ego development theory is the most accepted theory that involves eight stages of psychosocial development over an individual`s all lifespan. The result of development in prior stages will influence the later stages. The elderly were mainly characterized by the central developmental tasks: achieving ego integrity vs. despair. The harvest in the last stage will be related to the attitude of facing death in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional study of elderly age from 65 to 90 years old ( n = 292) was carried out and investigated via the Inventory of Psychosocial Balance. Pearson correlation and path analysis were performed in order to analyze the direct and indirect effect among the first seven stages with the eighth stage. Results: We found that all the eight stages were significantly related to each other, and comparing to the previous seven stages, “the generativity stage” (r = 0.77) was the most relevant stage with “ego integrity”. In all indirect and direct effects, the seventh stage had the greatest impact on the “ego integrity stage”; the direct effect was 0.89. Conclusions: Compared to the whole lifespan, adulthood possessed a higher influence on the elderly stage. We found that all the eight stages were significantly related to each other, and comparing the first seven stages, the “generativity stage” (r = 0.77) was the most relevant stage to “ego integrity”. Conclusions: Compared to the whole lifespan, adulthood possessed a higher influence on the elderly stage.

Keywords: personality; successful aging; death; life course and developmental change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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