The document discusses psychosocial development during middle childhood, focusing on self-concept, emotional growth, family dynamics, peer relationships, and the impact of media violence on aggression. It covers Erikson's stages of development, the effects of family structure and parenting on child well-being, and the prevalence of various behavioral and emotional disorders. Additionally, it highlights resilience in children and various therapeutic approaches to support their development.

1. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO
CHAPTER 10: Psychosocial Development in
Middle Childhood
Niones, Dexter
James
Viado, Ria Czarina
Gabudao, Karyl

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The Developing Self
• The cognitive growth that takes place during middle childhood
enables children to develop more complex concepts of themselves
and to gain in emotional understanding and control.
SELF-CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: REPRESENTATIONAL SYSTEMS
at around age 7 or 8, children reach the third stage of self-
concept development. At this time judgments about the self
become more conscious, realistic, balanced, and comprehensive
as children form representational systems: broad, inclusive self-
concepts that integrate various aspects of the self

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INDUSTRY VERSUS INFERIORITY
According to Erikson (1982), a major determinant of self-
esteem is children’s view of their capacity for productive work,
which develops in his fourth stage of psychosocial
development: industry versus inferiority
• In the event that children are unable to obtain the praise of
adults or peers in their lives, or lack motivation and self-
esteem, they may develop a feeling of low self-worth, and
thus develop a sense of inferiority

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EMOTIONAL GROWTH
As children grow older, they are more aware of their own and
other people’s feelings. They can better regulate or control their
emotions and can respond to others’ emotional distress (Saarni,
Campos, Camras, & Witherington, 2006)
Children learn what makes them angry, fearful, or sad and how
other people react to displays of these emotions.
Children also start to understand conflicting emotions (Zajdel,
Bloom, Fireman, & arsen, 2013)
• By age 7 or 8, children typically are aware of feeling shame and
pride, and they have a clearer idea of the difference between
guilt and shame

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The Child in the Family
To understand the child in the family, we need to look at the
family environment—its atmosphere and structure.
• FAMILY ATMOSPHERE
Parenting Issues: From Control to Coregulation
Control gradually shifts from parents to child.
Children begin to request certain types of experiences,
negotiate for desired objects, and communicate their shifting
needs to parents.
• Middle childhood brings a transitional stage of coregulation in
which parent and child share power

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The Child in the Family
Children exposed to high levels of family conflict are more likely
to show a variety of responses that can include externalizing or
internalizing behaviors
Internalizing behaviors
• Include anxiety, fearfulness, and depression—anger turned
inward.
Externalizing behavior
• Include aggression, fighting, disobedience, and hostility—
anger turned outward

7. The Child in the Family
The influence of parental control strategies is shaped by the cultural
context in which it occurs.
We cannot say a particular parenting strategy is “good” or “bad”
without taking into account the culture in which it occurs.
Maternal Employment
In general, the more satisfied a mother is with her employment
status, the more effective she is likely to be as a parent

8. The Child in the Family
 There are relatively few differences in child well-being regardless
of whether children live with biological cohabitating families,
married/cohabitating stepfamilies, or blended families
-Family instability, however, may be harmful
Adjusting to Divorce
Divorce is stressful for children, children may not fully understand
what is happening.

9. Living in a One-Parent Family
Living in a One-Parent Family
 can result from divorce or separation, unwed parenthood, or
death
Living in a Cohabiting Family
Approximately 17 percent of births in the United States are to
cohabitating couples—in other words, unmarried partners living
together

10. The Child in the Family
Poverty and Parenting
Poverty can harm children’s development through a multitude of
pathways. Parents who live in poverty are likely to become anxious,
depressed, and irritable and thus may become less affectionate with
and responsive to their children.
FAMILY STRUCTURE
In earlier generations, the vast majority of children grew up in
families with two married parents. Today, although about 2 out of 3
children under 18 live with two married biological, adoptive, or
stepparents

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Living in a Stepfamily
Most divorced parents eventually remarry, and many unwed
mothers marry men who were not the father of their children,
forming step-, or blended, families.
Living with Gay or Lesbian Parent
Being raised by same-sex couples.
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Adoptive Families
Adoption is found in all cultures throughout history. It is not
only for infertile people; single people, older people, gay and
lesbian couples, and people who already have biological
children have become adoptive parents.
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Sibling Relationships
The number of siblings in a family relationships
spacing, birth order, and gender often determine
roles and relationships.
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The Child in the Peer Group
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF PEER
RELATIONS
The peer group helps children learn how to adjust their needs
and desires to those of others, when to yield, and when to
stand firm. In comparing themselves to others their age,
children can gauge their abilities and gain a clearer sense of
self-efficacy.
Unfortunately, peer groups may also reinforce prejudice:
unfavorable attitudes toward outsiders, especially members of
certain racial or ethnic groups.
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Gender and Peer Group
Boys and girls peer groups engage in different types of activities.
Groups of boys more consistently pursue gender-typed activities,
while those of girls are more likely to engage in cross-gender
activities, such as team sports
Popularity
Popularity is important in middle childhood. Schoolchildren whose
peers like them are likely to be well adjusted as adolescents.
Those who have trouble getting along with peers are more likely
to develop psychological problems, drop out of school, or become
delinquent.
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Friendship
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Aggression and Bullying
Instrumental aggression - aggression aimed at achieving an
objective—the hallmark of the preschool period—becomes
much less common.
Hostile aggression - aggression intended to hurt another
person, proportionately increases, often taking verbal rather
than physical form.
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Types of Aggression and Social Information Processing
Hostile attribution bias - Tendency to perceive others
as trying to hurt one and to strike out in retaliation or
self-defense.
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The Influence of Media Violence on Aggression
Children are more vulnerable than adults to the
influence of televised violence. The influence is
stronger if the child believes the violence on the screen
is real, identifies with the violent character, finds that
character attractive, and watches without parental
supervision or intervention. Highly aggressive children
are more strongly affected by media violence than are
less aggressive children.
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Bullies and Victims
Aggression becomes bullying when it is deliberately,
persistently directed against a particular target: a victim.
Bullying can be physical, verbal, or relational or emotional.
Cyberbullying—posting negative comments or derogatory
photos of the victim on a website—has become increasingly
common. The increase in use of cell phones, text messaging, e-
mail, and social
media use has opened new venues for bullies that provide
access to victims without the protection of family and
community.
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21. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO
Mental Health
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Disruptive Conduct Disorders
Temper tantrums and defiant, argumentative, hostile, or deliberately
annoying behavior—common among 4- and 5-year-olds—typically are
out-grown by middle childhood as children get better at controlling
these behaviors (Miner & Clarke-Sterwart, 2009).
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
Pattern of behavior, persisting into middle childhood, marked by
negativity, hostility, and defiance.
• conduct disorder (CD)
Repetitive, persistent pattern of aggressive, antisocial behavior
violating societal norms or the rights of others.

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School Phobia and Other Anxiety
Disorders
• School phobia
Unrealistic fear of going to school; may be a form of separation
anxiety disorder or social phobia.
• Separation anxiety disorder
Condition involving excessive, prolonged anxiety concerning
separation from home or from people to whom a person is attached.
• Social phobia
Extreme fear and/or avoidance of social situations.
• Generalized anxiety disorder
Anxiety not focused on any single target.

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School Phobia and Other Anxiety
Disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Anxiety aroused by repetitive, intrusive thoughts, images, or
impulses, often leading to compulsive ritual behaviors.
• childhood depression
Mood disorder characterized by such symptoms as a
prolonged sense of friendlessness, inability to have fun or
concentrate, fatigue, extreme activity or apathy, feelings of
worthlessness, weight change, physical complaints, and
thoughts of death or suicide

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TREATMENT TECHNIQUES
• Individual psychotherapy
Psychological treatment in which a therapist sees a troubled
person one-on-one.
• Family Therapy
Psychological treatment in which a therapist sees the whole
family together to analyze patterns of family functioning.
• Behavior Therapy
Therapeutic approach using principles of learning theory to
encourage desired behaviors or eliminate undesired ones;
also called behavior modification.

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TREATMENT TECHNIQUES
•Art Therapy
Therapeutic approach that allows a person to express
troubled feelings without words, using a variety of art
materials and media.
•Play Therapy
Therapeutic approach that uses play to help a child
cope with emotional distress.
•Drug Therapy
Administration of drugs to treat emotional disorders.

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RESILIENCE
•Resilient children
Children who weather adverse circumstances,
function well despite challenges or threats, or bounce
back from traumatic events.
•Protective factors
Influences that reduce the impact of potentially
negative influences and tend to predict positive
outcomes.

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THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!