According to Eriksons developmental theory, when planning care for a 47-year-old client, which developmental task should a nurse identify as appropriate for this client?
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A
To develop a basic trust in others
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B
To achieve a sense of self-confidence and recognition from others
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C
To reflect back on life events to derive pleasure and meaning
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D
To achieve established life goals and consider the welfare of future generations
The interpretation supported by the scenario is To achieve established life goals and consider the welfare of future generations.
A. To develop a basic trust in others
This would apply in a different scenario where the idea in “To develop a basic trust in others” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
B. To achieve a sense of self-confidence and recognition from others
This sounds reasonable when the idea in “To achieve a sense of self-confidence and recognition from others” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
C. To reflect back on life events to derive pleasure and meaning
This could seem tempting if the idea in “To reflect back on life events to derive pleasure and meaning” addresses a different mechanism or priority than the one emphasized by the stem The wording does not track the stem’s main cue, so selecting it would shift the nurse away from the most precise interpretation or priority.
D. To achieve established life goals and consider the welfare of future generations
This works since The nurse should identify that an appropriate developmental task for a 47-year-old client would be to achieve established life goals and consider the welfare of future generations. According to Erikson, the client would be in the generativity versus stagnation stage of development. Need: Psychosocial Integrity Developmental theories help the nurse connect present coping and relationship patterns to age-expected tasks, which can inform realistic goals, communication style, and supportive interventions. From a nursing standpoint, this selection guides assessment and interventions toward what is most clinically meaningful in the moment—risk reduction, safety, accurate appraisal, and support for adaptive coping.
Conclusion
The stem provides enough information to select the most accurate interpretation without adding extra assumptions. The chosen answer reflects the correct framework, and the remaining choices drift toward incomplete, premature, or misdirected reasoning.