Lifespan Self Evaluation Essay

Lifespan Self-Evaluation Guidelines

Introduction

This self-evaluation assignment addresses your own lifespan journey beginning with your first two years through the stage of emerging adulthood. The evaluation will address your cognitive and psychosocial development using the textbook chapters that address these stages. It is an opportunity for you to use the knowledge gained in this course to reflect on your own development and how it will influence your work with others. Confidentiality for this paper and all the information it contains will be maintained by the professor.

As the adult that you are now, please reflect on your own cognitive and psychosocial development. For example, what was your identity status as a late adolescent or young adult and has it changed and why? Where are you in terms of your cognitive development, i.e., how do you think about your thinking? How would you classify your moral/ethical development? How do you think about the major turning points in your life? How do you think the above development paths will affect you as a counselor?

The Written Assignment

The assignment consists of writing a paper 5 full pages minimum in length, double-spaced, addressing your journey through your cognitive and psychosocial development using the areas described below. A cover sheet with your name and title of the assignment, as well as excellent grammar, are expected for this assignment, which is worth 10 points of your final grade.

The paper will contain the following:

• Please use the following headers for each section you are describing:

-Introduction – brief details about you that you think are important

-First Two Years

-Early Childhood

-Middle Childhood

-Adolescence

-Emerging Adulthood

-Summary of the Lifespan Self-evaluation

• The following are sections and pages of the course textbook. They include the cognitive and psychosocial topics that should be included in the self-evaluation. However, you may also choose to include other topics in the chapters addressing the cognitive and psychosocial journey you have undertaken.
• FIRST TWO YEARS – Cognitive Development (p. 151) and language development and early communication (p. 161).
• FIRST TWO YEARS – Psychosocial Development (p. 177) and temperament, expressing emotions, attachment.
• EARLY CHILDHOOD (ages 3-6) – Cognitive Development and language (p. 243) How many languages did you learn to speak? Type of schooling during this stage (p. 248). How did you learn? (table on p. 257). Which approach worked best?
• EARLY CHILDHOOD – Psychosocial Development and playmates/friends (p. 266). Type of play? Emotional regulation – how did this work for you? Discipline from parents. Understanding of sex and gender.
• MIDDLE CHILDHOOD (ages 7-10) – Cognitive Development and information processing (p. 322), vocabulary, academic achievement, type of school (see p. 341 for a great article on test achievement during this stage).
• MIDDLE CHILDHOOD – Psychosocial Development and self-concept/self-esteem (p. 348), family structure and function (how did this influence you?). Was it hard to be a kid during this time in your life? What friends did you have? (p. 364) Did the peer group influence you? How did you acquire your morality, your moral values, moral reasoning? (p. 369 and also the Defining Issues Test information in Course Content/Resources).
• ADOLESCENCE (ages 11-18)– Cognitive Development and egocentrism (p. 408). What were your challenges during middle school? How easy or hard was your academic journey in middle school? Did you use logic in your decision-making? How was high school for you from a cognitive perspective?
• ADOLESCENCE – Psychosocial Development and identity (p. 435). How were your religious, political, vocational and gender identities developed? How was your relationship with parents and family? (p. 439) What were some of your emotional challenges? How did you handle peer pressure (drugs, for example) in high school? Did you have your first romance during this time?
• ADOLESCENCE – How did the things that happen to you during this developmental stage contribute to who you are today as an adult in your chosen field?
• EMERGING ADULTHOOD (ages 19-25) – Cognitive Development and your decision to get a college degree and continue to graduate school (p. 505).
• EMERGING ADULTHOOD – Psychosocial Development and your personality (p. 524). How has your personality impacted your decision to work in the mental health field? How has your lifespan journey up until this stage of Emerging Adulthood impacted who you are as a counselor?
• SUMMARY OF THE LIFESPAN SELF-EVALUATION – Final words about your journey.