Developmental Theme Of Continuity Within Change: Understanding Of Identity Development

In this reflective piece, I consider how the developmental theme of continuity within change provides understanding about identity development. The developmental theme of continuity within change presents the perspective that there is underlying continuity in an individual’s qualities, behaviors, and skills despite change across time (Hoffnung et. al., 2019). Even when an individual is faced with significant transformations that lead to change, there are components of their identity or behaviors that remain relatively stable. Erik Erikson’s theory of development helps explain the importance of identity as an individual develops through the use of psychosocial stages. Erikson (1959), as cited in Hoffnung et al. (2019), describes that lifespan

My experience moving across the country from California presented many challenges, but most notably reminded me of my constant desire to belong in the environments I am in. In moving to New York, I left behind the places I knew as familiar, the relationships I have had since childhood, and an overwhelming sense of belonging. Among my fears when moving was that I did not know who I could be without familiar faces and the safe environments I cultivated. In the months leading up to my move, my anxieties shifted to not knowing where I would belong in a new and unfamiliar

In this period of adolescence based upon Erikson’s model, however, I found myself in periods of both stability and instability when understanding my identity. Unsuccessful resolution of the psychosocial challenge regarding identity is at first glance, a negative result. Erikson explains it may be difficult when advancing to the next developmental stage as a result of unsuccessful resolution; what he does not explicitly explain, however, are the ups and downs of development that occur within each stage. Acknowledging the constants that remain as one progresses to new developmental stages as well as growth that occurs, his theory helps me understand development is not linear. In understanding how continuity within change works by connecting it to Erikson’s theory in the lens of my own personal experience, I learn my identity development and the crisis I faced can be framed in a different manner than previously thought. I experienced a strong clarity of identity at age 15 when I entered high school but at age 18 when I moved, that sense of clarity extinguished. This presented a challenge but rather than seeing it as a failure, I now appreciate that my development simply took a new direction. In overcoming this psychosocial challenge, the shift in how I interpreted my desire to belong accompanied my identity