This document provides information on human development across the lifespan. It begins with an introduction to developmental psychology and outlines the main stages of development from infancy to late adulthood. For each stage, it describes key physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and psychological characteristics. The roles of nurses in caring for individuals at different developmental stages are also discussed. Factors that influence development and developmental tasks for different periods are explained.

1. Prepared by:
Mrs. Akila. A, M.Sc (N), M.Sc(PSY)
Associate Professor

2. INTRODUCTION
Developmental Psychology:
This branch of psychology describes the
processes and factors that influence the growth
and development in relation to the behaviour of an
individual from birth o old age. It is further
subdivided into branches like child psychology,
adolescent, adult and old age psychology.
Development psychologists try to understand
complex behaviours by studying their beginning
and the orderly ways in which they change or
develop over the lifespan.

3. STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
STAGES AGE
Infancy 0-1 year
Early childhood 1-5 years
Late childhood 6-12 year ( up to the onset of puberty)
Adolescence 13- 19 years(From the onset of the puberty)
Early adulthood 20-40 years
Middle childhood 41-65 years
Late adulthood or old age 66 years – till death

4. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
• Development means a progressive series
of changes that occur as a result of
maturation and learning.
• Growth occurs due to metabolic
processes, implies a quantitative change
or increase in size.

5. PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPMENT
• Development is continuous
• Early development is more critical than later
development.
• Development is the product of maturation and learning.
• Development follows an orderly direction.
• The developmental pattern has predictable
characteristics.
• All children follow a similar developmental pattern.
• Development proceeds from general to specific
responses.
• Different areas develop at different rates.
• There are individual differences in development

6. FACTORS INFLUENCING DEVELOPMENT
1.Biological or internal Factors:
• Heredity or genetic characteristics
• Sex of the individual
• Hormones
• Temperament
2.Environmental or External Factors:
• Prenatal Environment
• Family Environment
• School environment
• Neighbourhood
• Culture

7. 3.Natural / man-made events:
• Wars, earthquake
• Epidemics
4.Personal life events:
• Accidents
• Business loss, divorce or death of a parent

8. DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS:
• Occur at various developmental stages which
must be achieved for optimal development.
PRENATAL STAGE:
• Physical growth is most rapid in any person’s
lifespan in this period. It consists of 3 stages.
1.Germinal stage (growth of zygote and
implantation in the walls of the uterus)
2.Embryonic stage ( end of the second week
to the end of the eighth week- rapid growth
and differentiation of body systems)

9. 3.Foetal stage ( changes in the body form and
organs assume their specialised functions, this
stage ends with birth)
• Vulnerability to environmental influences like
drugs, radiation, malnutrition and disease is also
great in the stage.
• Mother’s age below 16 years and over 35 years
are at high risk for miscarriages, premature births
and birth defects.
• Mother’s age above 40 years have a higher risk of
Down syndrome

10. INFANCY
• The period of infancy begins with birth and lasts for 1 year.
• The infant is called a neonate for the first 4 weeks after birth.
• During the first 12 months the infant shows very rapid motor
development and learns to sit, stand and begins to walk.
• Infant weighs triple from birth weight by 1 year
• Length increases by almost 50 percent from birth.
• Development of the child is complex and varied.
• Infant shows several reflexes and earning perceptual activities that
involves active exploration.
• Visual perception develops rapidly, so that the child can make finer
discrimination.
• Even sixth month old infants have implicit and explicit memory.

11. Cognitive development: (Piaget)
Sensory Motor stage:
• Children explore the world using their senses
and ability to move.
• Development of object permanence and
understands the concepts of mental images
of people and events.
Psychosocial Development : ( Ericksons
View)
• Trust vs Mistrust;
• It is purely based on whether their needs are
met or not. If their needs are met, they
develop a sense of trust

12. Children in Hospital:
• Very small children cannot bear to be
separated from parents for long.
• Bowlby (1951) argued strongly that
disturbances in mental health and personality
development resulted from maternal
deprivation.
• There is strongly evidence that very small
children suffer from a sense of loss, mourning
and grief when away from their mothers

13. • On admission to hospital, children experience
many other distressing events, for example, the
fact of being ill, strange medical and surgical
procedures, different daily routines and a variety of
unknown people.
• There may be excessive clinging, nightmares and
other emotional disturbances.
• Nearly always, the child’s rate of progress both
physically and mentally is affected when there is
lengthy or repeated separation from its mother.
• On returning home the child may refuse to
recognise his or her mother and remain detached
or unresponsive for some time.
• Bowel and bladder control achieved may be lost.

14. ROLE OF NURSE:
• The nurse who is taking care of infants must realize that the
primary task of an infant is to grow.
• Growth and development of an infant is all round and also
unique.
• The nurse who is taking care of infant should give personal
attention as much as possible such as handling, cuddling,
holding and loving. This kind of care will prevent deprivation
and helps for healthy all round development.
• Accurate observation of the infant is extremely important.
• Cry and restless movement is the mode of communication for
the infant.
• Encourage the parents to comfort the infant and also involve
them in providing care.
• During care use sensory soothing measures.
• The children should be given adequate love, affection and
care.
• The use of force and violence should be avoided in dealing
with the child.

15. EARLY CHILDHOOD (2-6 YEARS)
• The growth rate slows in most areas during this
period.
• The average child becomes two and one half
inches taller and 5to 7 pounds heavier during each
year of early childhood.
• During this period learns to walk, run, jump and
balance; he /she develops fine motor skills and
muscular coordination.
• He/she also develops sensory perception of size
and learns to speak.
• He/she is capable of practical thinking and solving
simple problems.
• Learns how to dress and care.

16. • Other important achievements during this
period are learning how to use writing tools,
identifying letters, numbers and sounds.
• He/ she experiences emotions of love and
hate, jealousy and anxiety.
• He / she also learn to tolerate a certain
degree of frustration and disappointment and
deal with his/ her own difficulties
independently.
• Thus it is a period of rapid physical,
intellectual and socio emotional growth.

17. Psychology of the child during early childhood
- Dependency on others:
• Child needs parents to assist in completing daily care.
• Child expects that everybody around hi, should love
him and give him his entire affection and attention.
• He wants love and to be loved and in this exchange,
he totally depends on the mercy of others.
- Self assertion
• Though the child depend others, but wants to
dominate them.
• Child thinks, child always right and all around him,
should obey him.
• Child thinks that they are prince without crown and
tries to assert themselves all the time in all situations.

18. -Period of make believe and fantasy:
• Children at this stage live in the world of their own creation.
• Child has limited potentialities and aspires more than what he
can actually get in real life, child compensates him in fantasy
and make – believe.
-Selfish and Unsocial:
• Almost ego – centric and selfish.
• Child doesn’t want to share their toys or give any of their
possessions to others, even the love, affection and
admiration.
• Child doesn’t care for the social, moral codes and principles
and places their self interest at the premium.
-Emotionally unstable:
• In this stage, the period of violent emotional experiences.
• Emotions, at this stage are marked by intensity, frequency
and instability.

19. Psychological needs of early childhood:
• It includes love, recognition, security, acceptance,
Encouragement, protection, discipline, nutrition,
etc.
Characteristics of mental development:
• Developing Curiosity and questioning attitude
• Intellectually not developed
• Time concept is not developed
• Sexual development:
• Although the sex organs at this stage are not
developed, yet sex tendency is in a continuous
stage of development.
•

20. ROLE OF A NURSE:
• Tender loving care and physical security continue
to be important to the child during these years.
• It is important that the children’s routine in hospital
resembles normal life as far as possible. The
child’s day should be a well established routine,
which includes a right time for play, stories and
bath and for rest.
• Accurate observation is important to find out any
physical or emotional problems.
• A cordial relationship should be established with
the young patient by talking to him at his own level
such as asking him his nick name and likes and
dislikes.

21. • Provide love and affection.
• Te nurse should be patient in dealing with children.
• The child should be encouraged to develop a spirit of
independence.
• Allow the child to participate in care and help
whenever possible.
• Explain the procedure in simple terms and in relation
to how it affects the child.
• Give choices whenever possible, but avoid excessive
delays.
• Praise the child for helping and attempting to
cooperate, never shame the child for lack of
cooperation.
• Provide privacy from peers during procedure to
maintain self esteem.
• Opportunities for play should be provided.

22. • Allow the child to choose his/her own play if
possible. Drawing and scribbling is excellent
for the child; picture books and puzzles are
favoured when the child is old enough.
• Games and toys should be made available in
paediatric unit.
• Nurses can learn to use play therapeutically.
• Small children do not understand the
meaning of sickness very clearly.
• The child’s early experiences with sickness,
pain, hospitalization, separation from his/ her
mother and being cared for by nurses may
influence attitude to sickness later in life.

23. LATE CHILDHOOD (6-12 YEARS)
• During this period, physical growth is slow and
gradual.
• The average child grows 2 to 3 inches in height
and gains weighs 3-5 pounds of weight in a year.
• Increased muscular development and resistance
to fatigue makes new skills and activities possible.
• Children develop much smoother and well co-
ordinate muscle movements during this stage.
• They became capable of many muscular activities
such as running, swimming, riding a cycle and
throwing or catching.
• Writing or reading and the ability to handle
language are 2 important achievements during this
stage.

24. • The child is now able to make the fine movements necessary
for writing.
• His/ Her thinking is more stimulated by concrete objects and
situations, which can be seen.
• He/ she cannot handle complex arithmetic problems.
The special features of the behavioural pattern depicting
the psychology of children during this age span may be
outlined as below:
• Craving for independence
• Emotional stability and control
• Developing social tendencies
• Realistic attitude
• Dormant sexual urge
• Demonstrates social tendency
• Growing intellectually
• Showing specific interests and aptitudes

25. Other psychological needs include:
• -love, affection, security, belonging needs
• -Understanding, attention, Physical care
• - Needs to exercise his/her muscles and
refine motor co-ordination.
• - Protective environment
• - Encouragement
• - Discipline, provision for self expression
• - Guidance and direction to understand what
kind of behaviour is expected.

26. Role of a Nurse:
• Love and care, emotional support
• Needs guidance and direction to understand what
behaviour is expected from him/her or the rules to be
followed during hospitalization should be clearly
explained to them.
• Nurses should be given explanations for procedures and
reasons for hospital rules and policies.
• Health teaching should be given directly related to illness
or prevention of illness.
• Observation of the child’s physical condition and his
behaviour is important.
• The intellectual development of the child can be
evaluated by observing his/her ability to converse and
reason, read, write or solve arithmetic problems.
• Games and physical exercises should be given to them.

27. ADOLESCENCE (12-19 years)
Adolescence is a period of rapid physical,
intellectual, emotional and social growth- a period of
growing up.
• Physically, the boy or girl becomes an adult, sex
organs mature.
• Adolescence begins with very rapid changes in the
body.
• Changes in the body can be seen in weight and
height, shape of body, sound of voice, presence of
pubic and facial hair and other external sex
characteristics.
• The initial spurt in growth usually begins about 2 years
earlier in girls than in boys.
• There is intellectual growth towards a mature and
abstract mode of thinking.

28. • Intelligence reaches its maximum.
• Emotionally, the adolescent grows independent from
parents and prepares himself for entering into other
relationships that are needed in marriage, work and in
the community.
• Sex conscious develops and this influences the
emotional as well as the intellectual activities of the
individual.
• Biological changes lead to moods, confusion and
worries of all types.
• Puberty is the important physical change during
adolescence.
• He/she becomes mature or capable or capable of
sexual reproduction.
• Endocrine gland regulates puberty through the
secretion of hormones

29. • Adolescent girls and boys become very
interested in sexual development and in
relationships with members of the opposite
sex.
• An adolescent has many variations in
mood, variations between excessive
bursts of energy and periods of laziness.
• They are extreme sensitive, self-
consciousness, desire to be intellectually
and emotionally independent

30. SPECIAL FEATURES:
• Perplexity with regard to somatic variation
• Intensification of self awareness
• Sexually much conscious
• Staunch follower of the peer group values
• Inflicted with the conflicting demands of
• Independence vs dependence
• Idealism vs realism
• Worried about vocational choice and
becoming self- supported

31. Psychological needs of an adolescence:
• Need for status
• Independence
• Satisfying philosophy of life
• A proper orientation to the opposite sex and guidance in
selecting vacation.
Role of a Nurse:
• Explain each procedure with rationale
• Encourage questions regarding fears, options and
alternativeness.
• Discuss how nursing procedures may affect appearance and
what can be done to minimise it.
• Accept the regression to more childish methods of coping.
• Allows them to talk.
• Adolescence will most likely be able to make decisions about
caring for himself and planning his health care

32. EARLY ADULTHOOD (20-40 YEARS)
• This age span can be considered the healthiest and most
energetic time of one’s life. Biological function and physical
performance reach their peak from 20-35 years of age, waning
from after 35 years.
• During early adulthood, most adults reach their full height.
• A number of sensory and neural functions are also optimal level
during this period.
• For women, reproductive capacity is at its peak during young
adulthood.
• Intellectual abilities appear to peak during this period.
• Tasks requiring quick response time, short term memory and
ability to perceive complex relations are performed more
efficiently during late teens and early twenties.
• Certain creative skills reach highest level during young
adulthood.

33. • Young women have additional psychological differences
related to body changes.
• About 75% of all women in young adulthood experience
mood swings with the cycle of menstruation.
• These are caused due to hormonal changes in the body.
• Choosing a career and life partner are top priorities in this
stage.
• Child rearing is usually an important part of young
adulthood.
• During this period behaviour is governed more by
intelligence than emotions, adults adapt easily to social
situations, face reality objectively, have normal drive to
work or play and act according to own age.
• Adults are vocationally adjusted and are able to think and
decide things on their own.

34. Psychological needs of early adulthood:
• It includes a balance of intimacy,
commitment, freedom and independence.
• The adult also likes the needs, security, self-
realisation and recognition.
• Development of intimate relationship and
status in society.
• Age of making decisions and settling down
with respect to
• Jobs and career
• Relationship and marriage
• Size of the family and education of childhood.
• Role of status in community.

35. Erickson’s View on the psychology view
of early adulthood:
• Intimacy vs Isolation:
• Seeks to form intimate relationship with
opposite sex.
• In this marital relationship, they tend to risk
even loss of his ego or image.
• If there is failure in intimate relationship,
they tend to loss their relationship and
tend to develop isolation.

36. Role of Nurse:
• Young adults are rarely hospitalised, usually for
childbirth, injuries or any accident or any problems
in digestive tract or genitourinary tract.
• Have to teach and assistance in handling babies.
• Explain the personality characteristics required for
parental figure and that should be respected.
• Explanation of procedures.
• Assist with problem solving
• Help the couples to achieve intimacy with each
other.

37. MIDDLE ADULTHOOD (40-60 YEARS)
• Mid life brings with it dramatic changes in Physical
development.
• The slow decline of physical development, which begins
during the late years of early adulthood appears to speed up
and is much more visible as a person reaches the late forties.
• In middle age, the skin loses some of the elasticity; hair
begins to thin out and often turns grey or white.
• Muscular strength declines slowly, but steadily from young
adulthood onwards.
• A major physical change comes about in CVS of a person in
middle life.
• Narrowing of coronary arteries may occur for some mid aged
persons.
• Cholesterol level rise and begins to collect on the walls of the
arteries, which are also beginning to thicken.
• Changes in the reproductive system of men and women

38. • Decreased production of oestrogen and
testosterone.
• In mid- forties, women will attain menopause
which is associated with a number of unpleasant
symptoms have been appear which includes
profuse sweating, hot flushes, dizziness, head
ache, irritability, depression, insomnia and weight
gain.
• The male climacteric occurs at about 50 years of
age , during which men experience a gradual
decline in testosterone.

39. Erickson’s View:
• Generativity vs Stagnation:
• Needs to satisfy his needs for generativity, a
concern to establish and guide the next
generation, this is realized through nurturing
his own children, guiding and directing other
young people and by engaging in some kind
of creative, productive or fruitful activity that
may beneficial to society.
• Have to participate in the welfare of the future
generation.
• Opposite to the above is stagnation.

40. Role of nurse:
• Middle aged is more likely to be hospitalised for
cardiovascular problems; BP, cholesterol or cancer
or diabetes.
• Explain hospital procedures clearly.
• Nurse should guide the family members in
personal activities of the patient.
• Observation of emotional and physical health is
necessary to recognise signs of Physical decline.
• Written instructions can be provided when needed.
• Health teaching is important.
• Encourage independency

41. LATE ADULTHOOD (OLD AGE, 60 YEARS AND ABOVE)
• It is the period of retirement from active work.
• Marked by impairment of sensory function (seeing and
hearing)
• There is a slowing down of motor functions, besides a gradual
impairment in muscular co-ordination.
• The resistance to disease and injury diminish
• decline in mental ability
• Memory, thinking and ability to learn new things are affected.
• Loss in the efficacy of CVS has the maximum impact upon a
person in late adulthood.
• Chronic diseases are common like arthritis, loss of hearing,
vision and cancer.
• Decrease in social interaction and increased in aloofness
• Symptoms of irritability, short tempered and anxiety ridden
responses in the behaviour.

42. Psychological needs of late childhood:
• Need for improvement of self image, need for normal roles
and relationship.
• Need for love and relatedness
• Need to improve sense of hopefulness and need for
accomplishments of tasks.
Erickson’s View:
• Ego integrity Vs Despair:
• Integration or culmination of the successful resolution of all
the seven previous crises in the course of one’s life.
• A Person with a developed sense of integrity is at peace with
the life, he has lived and has no major regrets over what could
have been or for what should have been done differently.
• Despair: Feel dissatisfied with the way they lived their lives.
• They thought that they have no time left for changing the
course of their lives and doing what should have been done,
makes them feel miserable and consequently, they are
doomed to develop a sense of despair.

43. Role of a Nurse:
• Older adults may be hospitalized more than any other
age group.
• Insecurities and apprehension should be relieved
• Prepare the patient about the outcome of terminal
illness.
• The nurse should assess the patient’s ability to see,
hear, and walk and vital signs.
• Closer observation for depression, poor sleep, lack of
coping.
• Emotional help is necessary
• Physical protection from harm and injury should be
provided.
• Health teaching should be provided.
• Memory improving techniques should be followed.

44. PSYCHOLOGY OF THE CHALLENGED
• The Psychology of physically or mentally
challenged persons or those with special
needs is an area which is gaining in
importance.
Challenged:
• Physical
• Mental
• Social
• Emotional

45. (i)Physical Challenged:
• People who are deaf, dumb, blind, suffering from the loss of
limbs like hands or legs and chronic Patients- These people
will have an following typical features in the way of behaviour,
personality and adjustment.
• Social interaction and social interests are narrow.
• Bound to become dependent on others for their day to day
activities and survival.
• Bound to suffer the feelings of inferiority, insecurity, unsafe.
• This may give birth to depressive or hostile behaviour on their
part.
• The frustrating reactions are manifested as anger, sadness
and irritative, because of their incapability, inactivity and
dependence.
• Self- centred- to be cared and protected by others with the
least concern for others.

46. (ii)Mentally Challenged:
• Person who is suffering from mental disabilities, ailments and
disease.
• Suffers with intellectual impairment, defective reasoning and
thinking, dysfunction and abnormalities in the cognitive functioning
and psychological maladjustment.
• Defective intelligence and defective cognitive functioning, so they
will have poor in understanding and the following of instructions or
demonstrated behaviour.
• Socially isolated, inferior, worthless and problematic and poor in
mental functioning- it may leads to withdrawal behaviour or develop
hostile tendencies, suffer with chronic anxiety, depression, fear and
phobias, withdrawal and attacking behaviour, damage to the safety
and security of self and others.
• Over- dependency in their behaviour and thus their caring and
adjustment may pose a great challenge to their relatives in their day-
day care, adjustment and development and nurses and other
medical staff at the time of their medical care and treatment

47. (iii) Socially challenged:
• In this category of socially challenged, we may include the
individual’s suffering from acute social adjustment, problems
like delinquents, criminals, drug addicts, alcoholics, socially
and culturally deprived etc. These individuals may be found to
differ significantly from the normal people with respect to their
behaviour characteristics and adjustment patterns in the
manner given below:
• Mal adjustment behaviour with their social surroundings and
environment.
• Inflicted with the feelings of inferiority, low achievement
motivation, isolation from society, hesitation, fear in mixing
with strangers, difficulty in adjusting to the changed
environment.
• War with their self and society
• The delinquents and criminals open fronts with the society as
a coverage or compensation of their failures.

48. (Iv) Emotionly Challenged:
• People who suffers with emotional adjustment or deviant and defective
expression of their emotional behaviour, causing problems to their self and
others.
Behavioural Characteristics:
• Hyperactive, restlessness and uneasy.
• Greater tendency towards fighting and aggressive behaviour.
• Shows greater resentment and antagonism towards the authority and rules,
regulations.
• Feel problems in concentrating or paying attention to the required things as
their thoughts and feelings remain always at the wandering stage.
• Unexpected swings in their moods from utter depression or withdrawn
behaviour to extreme elevation and excitement.
• Lot of difficulty in their expression or may express in an undesirable way.
• Difficulty in interpersonal relationship.
• In hospital, this people may create problems to other patients, staffs and
doctors.
• It may bring serious psychotic and neurotic tendencies in the way of
thinking, feeling and behaving turning to them into serious maladjusted
personality, a bigger challenge for friends, employees and care givers.

49. IMPLICATIONS OF NURSES:
• Should aware of the nature of their
vulnerability, behavioural characteristics,
personality traits, interest. So that nurses can
prepare herself to meet the challenges.
• Showing tolerance and patience.
• Learning the skilled way of dealing with
vulnerable.
• Providing needed guidance and counselling.

50. PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN
• In this age of the equality of sexes, women’s rights, freedom
and empowerment, it becomes a bit difficult to say that
women are the weaker sex or vulnerable in any way in
comparison to their male counterparts, Even though our
women stands vulnerable in so many ways.
• In our society and culture, women have been treated for a
long time as a commodity, selling or purchasable thing. It is
happening with them till now.
• Abducting, trafficking, purchasing or hiring for marriage, sex
etc.
• It is the women who have to bear the consequences in terms
of willing or unwilling pregnancies, they have to keep the
babies for a long period in their wombs, bear the pains and
negative outcomes of the child delivery, nourish, feed and
give needed care to the developing babies.

51. • In case of unwanted pregnancies, through rape and
other coerced measures, they have to suffer from the
indignity, humiliation, defence etc.
• During the entire course of life, girl suffers with
discrimination, negligence and oppression at the hands
of male and ale dominated society.
• Even the elder members of her own sex pays a leading
part in suppressing and oppressing her in the way
possible,
• In male dominated society, women are considered as a
symbol of aesthetic pleasure and thing of sensual
satisfaction.
• A girl or woman is appreciated, accepted or rejected on
the basis of her charming behaviour and attraction.

52. • From very beginning, thus a girl may be seen to be
engaged in a self-decoration and getting figure
conscious in order to be judged as beautiful and
attractive in the eyes of her male counterparts.
• Certain biological processes carried out only in women
from the onset of puberty like work towards making
them vulnerable in one or the other sense.
• Nature has made women more soft, tender and
emotional in their behaviour in comparison to their
male counterparts on account of designating them with
the motherly affection, love, sacrifice, sympathy and
care for offspring and the family.

53. General features:
• Anxious and worried and fearful about their safety and security.
• Unusual feelings of inferiority, incapacity, inability and dependability
on others.
• More expressive, talkative, sociable and enjoying outing, purchasing
and marketing.
• Experiences depression, unhappy, irritable and emotional and social
upset for feeling the loss of not becoming a “real woman” and
mother of her children” because of husband’s infertility.
• Engulfed with the guilty feelings, depression, over reaction as
victims of rape and sexual assault.
• Unusual craving and distorted feelings with respect to the body
image.
• Suitable for service providing and caring on account of their soft
spoken affectionate, tolerant and helpful native.
• Assertiveness, Body image, depression, teen pregnancy, infertility,
domestic violence and rape are the common problem.
•

54. PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SICK
• Illness and disease, if sustained and get aggravated
may bring significant changes in one’s life and affect
adversely, not only one’s health, but also cast serious
impact over his ways of thinking, feeling and doing.
• As a result of the illness, he may find quite inactive or
incapable of performing even the routine work of his
own care.
• Loss in Interpersonal relationship.
• Feeling small and humiliated on account of their
dependency on others.
• Anxious and fearful about their ailing states.
• Developing suspicious about everything
• Complaining nature.

55. • Loss of self image and confidence
• Showing signs of irritability, anger or violent reactions
• Pessimistic attitude towards their health and well being
• Narrowing of the areas of social interest.
• Self- centered and too much concerned about their
ailments.
• Become too childish in their behaviour with respect to
cleanliness, taking of medicines and nagging.
Five stages of grief: Kubler- Ross
• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

56. Nurse’s role:
• Lessen the feeling of insecurity by straight
forward explanations.
• Should provide proper care and
communication
• Educate patients regarding disease
conditions
• Teach active and passive exercises
according to their abilities.

57. PSYCHOLOGY OF GROUPS
Group:
• Two or more individual’s who are
connected to one another by social
relationships- Dohelson -2006.
• Two or more people who influences one
another through social interactions
- Baron-1993.

58. Characteristics of a group:
• Interaction should takes place.
• Should perceive themselves as a part of
the group.
• Members are interdependent
• Sense of solidarity among group members
• Common interests and objectives
• Goals, rules or norms should be written or
unwritten.
• Size of the group has its own impact.

59. Types of Groups:
• Primary and Secondary group (Primary
– families and secondary- Political Party)
• Planned and Emergent (daily –
Spontaneous)
• In and Out group ( In Group- People
belonging to the same caste or religion or
nationality and Out Group- discriminated
People)

60. GROUP DYNAMICS:
• It is a study of inter-relationship with in a group in context to
the relative force being exerted by the individual on the group
and by the group on the individual.
Formation of Groups:
• Physical Proximity or closeness
• Interaction among individuals
• Similarity in attitudes
• Similarity in interests
• Similarities of purposes
• Group attraction
• Serving specific purposes
• Similarity in occupation
• Distress or stressful situations
• Security

61. Group mind:
• The mind-set of an individual as a member of
the group directing him to behave as others in the
group behaves.
Group Behaviour:
• The behaviour of a person in a group is
different from his individual behaviour.
Group interaction:
• It is a two –way process of stimulating and
modifying the behaviour of the members of the
group on mutual basis.
Factors affecting Group behaviour:
• Sympathy
• Suggestion
• Imitation

62. Relevance of group Psychology for Nurses:
• While most nurses care for one patient at a time,
public health nurses care for entire populations.
• Public health education can be given to improve
group behaviour.
• Nurses have to create sense of belongingness
• Teamwork is much important in case of
hospitalised patients.
• Nurses can suggest the availability of support
groups to patients and also motivate caregivers in
the family to join such groups.
• Successful nurse leaders are role models for their
junior nurses.
• Good nursing leadership will definitely influence
the quality of patient care in hospital.