The main age-related crises of child development. Crises of age periods

Phenomena of mental development.

Specificity.

In the theory of L.S. Vygotsky, this concept denotes a transition in age development to a new qualitatively specific stage. Age crises are primarily due to the destruction of the usual social situation of development and the emergence of another, which is more consistent with a new level of psychological development of the child. In external behavior, age-related crises are revealed as disobedience, stubbornness, and negativism. In time, they are localized at the boundaries of stable ages and manifest as a neonatal crisis (up to 1 month), a crisis of one year, 3 years, a crisis of 7 years, an adolescent crisis (11-12 years old) and a youth crisis.

Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000 .

Age crises

AGE CRISES (With. 122) (from the Greek krisis - a turning point, outcome) - a conventional name for transitions from one age stage to another. In child psychology, the unevenness of child development, the presence of special, complex moments in the formation of personality, has been empirically noted. At the same time, many researchers (S. Freud, A. Gesell and others) considered these moments as “developmental illnesses”, a negative result of the collision of a developing personality with social reality. L.S. Vygotsky developed an original concept in which he considered age development as a dialectical process. Stages of gradual changes in this process alternate with age-related crises. Mental development is carried out by changing the so-called stable and critical ages (see: - ). Within the framework of a stable age, mental neoplasms mature, which are actualized in an age crisis. Vygotsky described the following crises: neonatal crisis - separates the embryonic period of development from infancy; crisis of 1 year - separates infancy from early childhood; crisis 3 years - transition to preschool age; crisis of 7 years - a connecting link between preschool and school age; crisis of 13 years - coincides with the transition to adolescence.

At these stages, there is a radical change in the entire "social situation of development" of the child - the emergence of a new type of relationship with adults, a change from one type of leading activity to another. Age crises are natural and necessary stages in the development of a child; thus, the concept of "crisis" in this context does not carry a negative connotation. However, crises are often accompanied by manifestations of negative behavioral traits (conflict in communication, etc.). The source of this phenomenon is the contradiction between the increased physical and spiritual capabilities of the child and previously established activities, forms of relationships with others, and methods of pedagogical influence. These contradictions often become acute, giving rise to strong emotional experiences, violations of mutual understanding with adults. At school age, within the framework of age crises, children show a drop in academic performance, a weakening of interest in studies, and a general decrease in working capacity. The severity of the course of crises is influenced by the individual characteristics of the child.

For example, a crisis of 3 years, when a previously obedient child can suddenly become uncontrollable, and a crisis of adolescence, dangerous with unexpected forms of protest against real or imaginary pressure from adults, have a bright negative connotation.

The negative manifestations of age crises are not inevitable. A flexible change in educational influences, taking into account the changes taking place with the child will significantly mitigate the course of age-related crises.

Popular psychological encyclopedia. - M.: Eksmo. S.S. Stepanov. 2005 .

See what "age crises" are in other dictionaries:

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Books

Spiral of fate. Cycles, crises and their overcoming, Andre Nadezhda, Nekrasova Svetlana. Philosophers, sages, and scientists have repeatedly tried to describe the laws of human life and existence. Human life has been described in a variety of ways. Human life is studied by medicine, psychology, ...

A crisis is something that many people have to face. Almost everyone, to be precise. The concept comes from the Greek word krisis, which means “turning point” or “decision” in translation. Accordingly, a crisis is a life period during which a person moves to a new level of age development, which is characterized by psychological changes. And this process is accompanied by the destruction of the usual social structure.

First stage

First, it is worth noting the neonatal crisis. A period in which there is no mental component, since it implies the transition from intrauterine life to real life. Birth is the first trauma that each of us experiences. And she is very strong. So much so that the whole life following the birth passes under the sign of this trauma.

It is very important that the neonatal period proceed under the supervision of adults. In principle, this is how it happens in a normal society - next to the baby there are always parents who provide him with a transition to a new type of functioning. The baby is helpless. He does not even have a pre-formed behavioral principle. Because all this is yet to come. And most importantly, a child in the neonatal period is not considered separately from an adult. Because it has no way to interact with the environment.

When does the “exit” from the neonatal crisis occur? Scientists say - when a child begins to interact with parents, and they notice the development of his emotional sphere. As a rule, this is the second month of a baby's life.

Crisis of three years

This is the next stage. The period during which the transition from infancy to preschool occurs. At this moment, the existing personal mechanisms are radically rebuilt, and the child develops new personality traits and consciousness. Plus, it moves to a new level of interaction with the outside world and people. It is important to note that there are no clear time limits for this period.

Symptoms

The Soviet psychologist Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky presents the crisis of three years in an interesting way. He identifies seven of the most striking "symptoms" in the child's behavior that indicate that he is going through the aforementioned period.

The first is negativity. The child refuses to do something just because it was suggested to him by a specific adult. And it usually does the exact opposite.

The next symptom is stubbornness. The child insists on something only because he cannot refuse his decision on principle. Even if circumstances have changed.

The third thing that is noted is obstinacy. That is, the tendency to do everything in defiance. The fourth symptom is self-will. Or, in simple terms, the familiar, proactive “I myself!”, Aimed at self-affirmation and stimulation of self-esteem.

Another symptom is rebellion. Manifested in regular conflicts with adults. As a rule, due to the fact that the child does not feel respect for him and his desires.

There is also a depreciation. The child ceases to be interested in everything that was interesting to him before. But the last symptom is the most unpleasant. This is despotism. The child gets out of control and demands from adults the instant fulfillment of all his desires and requirements. Looking at all this, the question arises: for whom is the crisis of three years more difficult - for the child or for the parents?

Third stage

After all of the above, a crisis of seven years follows. We all went through it. The causes of the crisis lie in the psychological changes of the personality. The child develops an internal position, some kind of “core” and his own “I” begin to emerge. In the same period, he enters school, falling into a completely different environment. Until then, he was playing. Now he has to study. For many children, this is the first manifestation of labor.

There are other concomitant causes of the crisis. Some children, having entered school, begin to be afraid of doing the work entrusted to them, for the first time feeling responsible for the result. They are now aware of themselves as schoolchildren, comrades. It is important for them to become full-fledged members of the new society - and this is stress. The period of the crisis of seven years is important, because it is at this time that children form their attitude towards people, towards themselves and towards society. As a rule, the acquired core, the so-called "trunk" remains later for life. Yes, later, during life, it acquires “twigs” and “leaves”, but the foundation is laid in childhood.

Teen Crisis

This is the period that most of us clearly remember. Because it flows already at a fully conscious age. After 12-13 years, to be more precise. It is believed that this is the period during which the child passes from childhood to adulthood. It can take a long time. At this point, teenagers are developing very dynamically - both physically and mentally. They develop needs that cannot be satisfied immediately, because they themselves have not yet reached social maturity.

The teenage crisis is a period accompanied by excessive guardianship and control by parents. And also prohibitions, quarrels arising from attempts to circumvent them, and much more. All this prevents a teenager from knowing himself and identifying the features inherent only to him - as a separate person.

On the specifics and features of adolescence

This stage is one of the most difficult in a person's life. A teenager, in addition to new needs, has special thoughts, reflections, important questions, problems. And for most, as a rule, it is difficult to survive this period, since all of the above seems to parents not important. “What problems can a child have? Too small yet, not lived! most adults dismiss. And very in vain.

Then adults are surprised - why did the relationship with their child deteriorate? Because they were indifferent. They did not take into account his opinion, continued to perceive him as a baby. And the consequences of the crisis, by the way, can be very deplorable. In this case, the notorious obstinacy may also appear. If parents forbade going to a party, then what will a teenager do? Escape through the window! And it is not known what the consequences of the party will be - maybe you will have to pay for them for the rest of your life. Therefore, it is very important to reckon with a teenager, to build relationships with him, as with an adult. And be able to compromise. That's what normal adults do.

Youth

This period should also be noted with attention, talking about age crises. In psychology, youth is also considered as such. Why? Because this is the time when a person begins to make really important decisions. He must decide on his future profession, social position, worldview, build life plans. It used to be that youth is 22-23 years old. But now - 17-18, and even earlier, because many parents believe that the sooner their child graduates from school, the better.

But, nevertheless, in youth it is very important to make the right choice. And if we talk about which age-related crises in psychology are the most dynamic, then youth will be on the same level as adolescence. During this period, a lot happens, in addition to choosing a profession. Service in the army, for example, or even the first marriage, often accompanied by the spontaneous birth of a child. In youth, many make mistakes due to social immaturity. And in our time, as practice shows, this period is not accompanied by what was previously considered a characteristic feature of youth. And this is a person's overcoming dependence on adults (parents). Particularly financial.

"middle" period

Now we can talk about the so-called "thirty-year" crisis. In psychology, this is called the period of early adulthood. People understand that the peak of their youth is over. Many sum up some results, begin to soberly look into the future. Most people begin to feel the need for the calmness of stability. There is a desire to find the meaning of life.

Some people feel like wasted time. Awareness comes - I have been living in this world for 30 years! And what have I achieved? Looking back, many realize - not so much. Finishes comparing yourself with successful peers or even younger people. It is even worse if they are relatives or acquaintances. So close to depression. And for many women, moreover, all of the above is accompanied by the realization that they are no longer so young, fresh and beautiful. Here it is - a typical thirty-year crisis. This is one of the most "sad" periods in psychology.

Middle age crisis

This is perhaps the period that everyone has heard of. It is a long emotional stage, which is directly related to the reassessment of life experience. During this period, a person realizes that the onset of old age is not far off. She is close, and not as in her youth - "sometime in the distant future." The moment in which a person realizes that he will never be young - this is the midlife crisis.

The symptoms are numerous. Notorious depression, self-pity, a feeling of emptiness, a feeling that life is unfair. A person refuses to recognize the successes that he has achieved, despite the fact that they are evaluated positively by other people. He loses interest in many aspects of life - even those that were previously significant to him. The circle of reference persons is changing - the opinion of random people is valued more than what relatives/colleagues/friends say. There may even be a change in value orientations. And the behavior and style also become different. A person tries to create the appearance of life transformation by changing some external manifestations.

Consequences

So, the features of the manifestation of the midlife crisis are understandable. Now - a few words about the consequences. In the case of this period, they can be difficult. Because the degree of seriousness of the mistakes made is directly proportional to the age of the person.

A deep “search for oneself” is possible, a sudden dismissal from a good job, in which a person has worked for far more than one year, a desire to move somewhere or radically change the type of activity. But the most serious consequence is a broken family. Some people leave their "second half", with whom they have lived for decades, because of extinguished feelings. Others do not leave the family, but simply look for "entertainment" on the side, which is no better. Women look for lovers to make sure they are still attractive. Men find lovers for the same reason.

Final stage

The pension crisis is the last in our lives. It usually takes 60-70 years. This is also not an easy period. Most pensioners have been working all their lives, and when they take a well-deserved rest, they simply do not know what to do with themselves. Health has not improved with age, friends are either far away or have completely left this world. Children grew up, left their native nest and have been living their lives for a long time. The man understands that his time is coming to an end. He feels unwanted and lost. And in this case, it is very important to find the strength in yourself to continue to enjoy life, to find a new meaning, passion and like-minded people. In the age of modern technology, this seems more than possible.

The problem of age crises is one. And it lies in the fact that they accompany us all our lives. Only for some people these are just periods, while for others they are really crises in the traditional sense that poison existence. Well, the most important thing is to accept that life is impossible without change. This awareness will help not only prepare for them, but also benefit and learn from them.

No! Don't want! I won't! I'm not giving it! Get away! You are bad (bad)! I do not love you! I don't need you (I don't need you)! Have you heard similar phrases from your children? Congratulations!!! Your child has an age crisis of 1, 3, 7, 14 or 18 years.

You ask why congratulations? But because it means the correct and normal development of your child. According to psychologists, a child who has not gone through a real crisis at the right time cannot have a full-fledged further development.

However, many parents are afraid of these periods and often resort to drastic measures to pacify the little "revolutionary". Sometimes the intensity of emotions reaches such an extent that adults can shout at him and even slap him. But such influences will at least not bring any benefit, and at most they will aggravate the situation more (this depends on the mental properties of the child himself and the internal microclimate in the family). And most of the parents will later regret and suffer because of their unexpected reaction, reproach themselves for what bad educators they are.

It is important to remember here that the irritation and anger that parents experience is a normal reaction in this case, since in fact these crises are not only children's, but also family crises, including. And negative emotions can be experienced by both children and adults. This is fine! You just need to understand it, accept it and respond correctly to the current situation.

Crises of development accompany a person all his life: the crisis of the newborn, 14, 17, 30 years, etc. A crisis is a temporary phenomenon. With its correct understanding, we can either completely rid ourselves of the manifestations of the crisis, or reduce them to a minimum. However, if this period is not passed by the child fully and profitably, then all unresolved problems that arose in the past critical period will manifest themselves with renewed vigor in the next age crisis and, coupled with new problems of the next age, will give an even greater emotional and psychological explosion than he could be.

Why does it happen that your beloved, sweet and obedient baby today suddenly turned into a capricious and nervous pest? Let's take a closer look at the main crises in children by year.

neonatal crisis

At birth, a child moves from an environment fully adapted to him into a world to which he must adapt himself. This becomes a lot of stress for the baby. At this time, his attitude and trust in the outside world are laid. For the successful passage of this critical period, only a permanent person should be with the child. Mom doesn't have to be here, but someone has to be there all the time. Feed, bathe, change clothes, come to cry, pick up. If there is no such adult nearby and the needs for contact and closeness with him are not satisfied, then this may be reflected in the future on the behavior of the child, and then on the adult. So, for example, very fast sensory and emotional overload and fatigue are possible in the future.

During this period, there is a so-called symbiosis, when mother and child feel and understand each other at deep non-verbal levels. Accordingly, any feelings and emotions of the mother are projected onto the child. So, for example, if the mother is calm, then the child is calm, and if the mother is worried and nervous, then the child reacts to this with very restless behavior. The child at this time is very "comfortable" and understandable. Fed - full, rocked - sleeps. Of course, mothers get used to the fact that the child is completely dependent on her and, out of habit, continue to think and do everything for the child. But as the child grows and matures, such a connection ceases to satisfy him, and when, finally, he learns to sit and then walk, a new crisis of 1 year begins.

Crisis 1 year

At this time, the child realizes, understands and perceives the world in a new way. If earlier he perceived himself and his mother as a whole, now their emotional and psychological separation from each other begins. In many situations, the child meets a different mother's reaction to events than his own. So his happiness from what amazing traces remain from the felt-tip pen on the wallpaper or the joy from the fascinating process of smearing porridge on his hands and table may not always coincide with his mother's emotions.

Around the age of 1 year, the baby begins to walk. He has more freedom, there is an acute research need. Parents are used to the fact that the child was in dire need of them, all the time he was in his arms. Children protest against the restriction of freedom (do not touch, sit, do not walk, etc.), and therefore cognitive activity.

During this period, such personal values as self-esteem, self-respect, trust in oneself and one's body, and the development of movement accuracy are laid and worked out. The child must be given as much freedom of action as possible, while ensuring maximum safety for the baby in advance. Children of this period react sharply to prohibitions and restrictions, but at the same time they are very easily distracted. Therefore, at this age, it would be more correct to distract the child with something bright and interesting than to limit his actions with a ban and get another whim and rebellion.

Read more about the crisis of 1 year in a child.

Crisis 3 years (comes from 1.5 to 3 years)

Now your baby is beginning to separate himself and the world around him. This is the so-called “I myself” period, when the child seeks and tries to understand his “I”, forms his internal positions. This is a period of awareness of who I am for others. The child, who used to feel like the center of the entire universe, suddenly discovers that he is just one of the many universes surrounding him.

During this period, there is a development of such personal values as a sense of internal order, the ability to make decisions in one's life, self-confidence, self-sufficiency. For a small person, it is now very important to realize any independent action as one's own choice without the use of persuasion by adults, the method of carrots and sticks. The best solution would be to give the child the opportunity to do what he sees fit, giving him a choice without a choice. Those. we offer him a choice of 2-3 options for actions that are beneficial and correct for us in advance, but at the same time he feels his independence.

Be sure at this age we set the framework for children and the boundaries of their behavior. If this is not done, then they will not know where to stop, and this is already fraught with big problems in adolescence. Such teenagers will have difficulty in building boundaries when communicating with other people, become dependent on the opinion of more authoritative comrades.

Read more about the crisis of 3 years in a child.

Crisis 7 years (comes from 6 to 8 years)

At this time, the child receives a new social status - a schoolboy. And with it come new responsibilities and rights. The question arises as to what to do with the new freedom and responsibility. Also, the child has his own opinion on everything. And here respect for him parents is very important! Now the child needs support in everything. Returning home, the student must be sure that here he can always find support in all the difficulties of life, new communication with peers and adults, in learning problems.

Your yesterday's baby has already matured. And, despite the fact that sometimes he is still childishly impulsive and impatient, his reasoning and actions become more logical, acquire a semantic basis. He begins to distinguish and share his own feelings and emotions, learns self-control.

During this period, not only new educational, but also household duties, which only he and no one else is engaged in, should appear. He can be offered a choice of washing dishes, preparing everything for cleaning, caring for a pet, etc. At the same time, the child must decide for himself when and what he will do, but be aware that there are consequences for not fulfilling his duties. These responsibilities are different for each child depending on the desires and preferences. It is impossible in any case to impose on him the execution of any deeds without his consent and desire. It is necessary to exclusively agree with him about this. The child becomes equal with us. Now he is one of the full members of the family, and not a subordinate.

Pubertal crisis (comes from 11 to 15 years)

Problems of this age come in connection with physiological changes. During this period, we observe the so-called "growing pains". The body is growing and changing. A teenager must get used to a new one, accept himself and learn to live with a changed body. Our adult child feels great overload of the nervous system. From this arises psychological instability, it is easy to piss him off. On the one hand, he is very stormy, restless, active, but at the same time he is subject to great physical fatigue and lethargy. There is a hormonal explosion. A teenager feels new feelings, which he is not yet able to cope with. As a result, we see emotional instability, a quick change in mood. A storm of feelings and emotions captures a teenager. It seems to him that no one understands him, everyone demands something from him and is negatively disposed towards him. The child observes and feels the world in new saturated colors and manifestations, but he still does not understand what to do with all this and how to behave in this new world correctly.

What should we do during this period? Since this is "growing pains", nothing needs to be done about it. We are calmly waiting for our dear little man to “get sick”. We treat it during this period carefully, carefully, carefully, with great attention.

Also, this period is associated for the child with the transition from childhood to adulthood. He is no longer a child, but not yet an adult. He rushes between these poles and cannot fully accept one of these roles. On the one hand, he is still a child, his interest in games and entertainment has not faded away, he does not want to part with the world of childhood. On the other hand, he already considers himself an adult, he is attracted by this apparent freedom of the adult world, but at the same time he understands that there are many responsibilities that he still does not want to take on.

And what to do with it? Same thing - nothing. We are waiting for this period of uncertainty to end and our adult man will reach a full understanding and acceptance of his adulthood. We accept him as he is, give maximum support and participation, if he asks for it.

Crisis 17 years (comes from 15 to 18 years)

This time is associated with the period of the beginning of social maturity, the period of stabilization of the processes of previous development. Our former child is finally reaching adulthood. The crisis of 17 years coincides with the end of school, when a young man (girl) faces the question of a further life path, choice of profession, subsequent education, work, for boys - military service. All psychological problems during this period are associated with adaptation to new conditions of life, the search for one's place in it.

A great role and help can now be provided to a person by the support of the family, people close to him. More than ever, your child now needs a sense of self-confidence, a sense of their competence.

If your child does not receive the help and support he needs, then his fear and insecurity can give rise to neurotic reactions, which in turn will lead to somatic problems, and then to physical illnesses. Be attentive to your adult!

The crisis of age is a period in which the amount of knowledge and experience gained earlier turns into the quality of future life. And, if an adult is often left alone with his own problems of adolescence, then the child can and should be helped to overcome this difficult period by his closest and dearest person who educates him.

There is no need to be afraid of such periods. A little patience and due attention to the child, and you will pass this critical age point without much shock.

The age crisis is a transitional stage between the ages of a person, characterized by a change in the leading activity and the social situation of development. Crisis periods are an integral stage of growing up. Each person goes through several such stages in his life.

Crisis literally translates as "road separation". In Chinese, it is written with two characters, one meaning "danger" and the other "opportunity". In my opinion, this is the most concise and accurate interpretation. It is during crises, including age-related ones, that active or its “scrapping” takes place in case of an unsuccessful outcome of the period.

The term “age crisis” was introduced by the Russian psychologist L. S. Vygotsky. Each age has certain norms that psychologists are guided by. They help track the normal development of a person. These same norms of intellectual, emotional, psychophysical and personal development are called the tasks of age development. The period of crisis is the period of fulfillment of these tasks, of intense psycho-physiological changes.

Each person goes through age-related crises, but the form of expression, intensity and duration vary depending on the socio-economic situation of the person, the conditions of development, and individual personality characteristics.

Despite this, there are still two points of view on the normativity / non-normativity of age crises:

Some psychologists (Freud, Vygotsky, Erickson) consider such transitions an integral part of development.
Other researchers (Rubinstein, Zaporozhets) consider them as a variant of individual ones.

Major crises

In psychology, it is customary to distinguish such age crises:

(from the moment of birth to a month);
(11-12 years old);
(45-55 years old);

The crisis of the newborn, three years and adolescence are classified as major crises. They account for the restructuring of the relationship between the child and society. The rest of the crises are minor. They are less visible externally and are characterized by an increase in independence and skills. However, at the time of any crisis, children are distinguished by negativism, disobedience, and stubbornness.

In adult life, as we see, there are 4 crises:

The crisis of youth is accompanied by the formation and self-affirmation of a person in the main areas of life, relationships (work, family, love, friendship).
At the stage of the crisis of maturity, a person analyzes his successes, the correspondence of plans and achievements. For the next ten years, he fixes or changes the result.
The midlife crisis is accompanied by an awareness of a decline in strength, beauty, health, an increase in distance with grown children. Often a person is overcome by depression, a feeling of fatigue from the routine, sadness from the thought that nothing will be better.
Late maturity is accompanied by stabilization of the previous state, a gradual withdrawal from social and labor activities.
At the stage of early old age, a person comprehends his life and either recognizes it as unique and inimitable, or understands that it was in vain.
At the stage of old age, a person rethinks his professional "I", resigns himself to the inevitable deterioration of health and aging of the body, gets rid of self-concern. This is the stage of actively accepting the natural end of life.

It is worth noting that childhood crises (the first six) have been studied much more than the crises of adulthood, middle age and old age. The latter are more often considered in the nature of the individual course, although they are also largely due to age-related changes.

Phases of the crisis

L. S. Vygotsky singled out 3 phases of the crisis: pre-critical, critical, post-critical.

The precritical phase is characterized by the contradiction that has arisen and is realized by the person himself between the prevailing external conditions and his attitude to these conditions. A person begins to see an image of a more attractive future for him, but he does not yet see real ways to implement this scenario.
At the critical stage, the maximum tension in the contradiction arises, it reaches its peak. First, a person tries to repeat the most general ideas about the seen ideal. For example, teenagers easily adopt the habit of smoking or swearing, thinking that this makes them part of an adult, so desired and a new world that has opened up in the future. Later, external and internal barriers are realized that stand in the way to other components of the new world. If it is more or less easy to get rid of external ones, then the awareness of the lack of internal resources pushes for the development of a new one (in the example with teenagers - the choice of a profession, a part-time job). In conclusion, a person compares how much he managed to get closer to the ideal he saw.
At the post-critical phase, the contradiction is resolved, the personality builds new harmonious relations with the world. If the results of the previous reflection are satisfactory, then the personality finally translates the imaginary into the real, the other into his own.

Features of overcoming the crisis

No one can save a person from going through a crisis. The person himself must overcome all difficulties and find a new balance. But the crisis process can be managed and directed. This is what outside help is about - to teach a person to manage their own crisis, to see and use opportunities, competently bypassing dangers (, and others).

A crisis is always a choice. A person understands what exactly the task is before him, what exactly he cannot do with the usual means, but he has yet to choose new tools. Each crisis prompts a person to search for identity.

Of particular interest in the framework of personal development is the theory of age-related crises by E. Erickson, although the stages differ from those previously mentioned. The author identified the following stages of age transitions and elections:

First year of life. The trust/distrust of the child in the future to the whole world depends on how satisfied the child is.
First self-service experience. If parents help the child, are logical and consistent in control, then the child develops autonomy. If parents show unstable or excessive control, then the child develops fears about control over his body and a sense of shame.
Self-affirmation of the child (3-6 years). If the independence of the child is supported, then he grows proactive. Otherwise - submissive and with a pronounced sense of guilt.
School age. The child either develops a taste for activity (work), or loses interest in his own future, experiences a feeling of inferiority in relation to his own status and the means available to him.
Teenage identity. The success of a teenager's assimilation of roles and the choice of a reference group depends on his further professional and personal life.
The crisis of adulthood is accompanied by a search for intimacy with one person. If a person cannot successfully solve the problem of combining work and family, then it turns out to be isolated and closed in on itself.
The midlife crisis is based on the problem of procreation and its preservation. There is a special interest in the upbringing of the whole new generation and their children. A person is productive and active in all spheres of life, otherwise interpersonal relationships gradually worsen.
The crisis of old age, the resolution of which depends on the assessment of the path traveled. If a person can bring all aspects of his life into one whole, then he lives his old age with dignity. If it is not possible to add up a whole picture, then a person experiences fear of death and the inability to start all over again.

This is not the only concept and classification of age crises. There are many more, but all authors agree on one thing:

the crisis impedes movement and development;
at the same time, it creates opportunities and encourages the disclosure of the inner potential of the individual.

Each crisis ends with the formation of a specific neoplasm. Unsuccessful passage of the crisis is fraught with getting stuck at some stage, the development of a distorted neoplasm and (or) a compensatory mechanism.

In a crisis, the destruction of the old way of life and the acquisition of a new one occurs only through revolution. That is why crises always turn over. Thus, at the time of the crisis and after its passage, changes occur in the consciousness and activity of a person, relationships with the world.

Help from a psychologist

When overcoming a crisis, the help of a psychologist is often needed. Psychological help is always individual. That is, a specific case is analyzed, there can be no general advice.

As a rule, psychocorrection is prescribed for children and consultations for adolescents and adults. In addition to conversations, art therapy and fairy tale therapy are used for children. Adolescents sometimes receive group psychotherapy. Adults are shown trainings, the elderly - group psychotherapy. In some cases, family counseling is possible at every age.

The more difficult the crisis endure, and therefore more likely to need support, people:

with and elements of infantilism in behavior;
not independent in decision-making;
characterized by an external locus of control (blaming the failures of the environment);
with the perception of the crisis as a dead end, interrupting life, and not as an opportunity for growth.

It is important to perceive the crisis as a difficult but surmountable situation that requires great responsibility and ensures personal development if it is successfully passed. The goal of going through a crisis is to learn to accept a new self from a position.