Principles of Growth and

Development
Prepared by:
ABIGAIL M. MADRIAGA, MAN,
RN

Growth & Development

Growth
- Increase in physical size or quantitative
change
Development
- Increase in skill or the ability to function
- Qualitative change
- maturation

Growth & Development

Psychosexual Development
- Type of development that refers to developing instincts or sensual pleasure
- Freud
Psychosocial Development
- Stages of personality development
- Erickson
Moral Development
- Ability to know right from wrong and to apply these to real life situations
- Kohlberg
Cognitive Development
- Refers to the ability to learn or understand from experience, to acquire and
retain knowledge, to respond to a new situation and to solve problems
- Piaget

Principles of Growth and

Development
a. Growth and development in an orderly sequence
b. Different children pass through the predictable stages at
different rates
c. All body system do not develop at the same rate.
d. Development is cephalocaudal
e. Development proceeds from proximal to distal body parts
f. Growth and developement are continuous processes from
conception to death
g. Development proceeds from gross to refined skills
h. There is an optimum time for initiation of experiences or
learning
i. Neonatal reflexs must be lost before development can
proceed
j. A great deal of skill and behavior is learned by practice

Factors Influencing Growth and

Development
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.
8.
9.

Genetics
Gender
Health
Intelligence
Temperament usual reaction pattern of an
individual or an individuals characteristic manner of
thinking, behaving or reacting to stimuli in the
environment
Environment
Socioeconomic level
Parent-child relationship
Ordinal position in the family

Theories of Development
Theory
- Systematic statement of principles that
provides a framework for explaining some
phenomenon
Development Task
- Skill or a growth responsibility arising of a
particular time in an individuals life the
achievement of which will provide a
foundation for the accomplishment of

Psychoanalytic Theory
-

Sigmund Freud
Libido- sexual nature
Id- instinct
Ego reality
Superego - society

Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychosexual Stage

Nursing Implications

infant

Oral stage
- Child explores the
world by using the
mouth especially the
tongue

-oral stimulation by
giving pacifiers
-do not discourage
thumbsucking
- Breastfeeding

toddler

Anal Stage
- Child learns to control
urination and defecation

- Help child achieve

bowel and bladder
without due emphasis
on its importance

preschooler

Phallic stage
- Child learns sexual
identity through
awareness of genital
area

- Accept childrens
sexual interest such
as fondling their own
genitals
- Answer questions
about birth or sexual
differences

School age

Latent stage

- Help to have positive

Psychosocial Theory
(Erickson)
Developmental Task

Nursing Implications

Infant

Trust vs Mistrust
-child learns to love and
be loved

- -provide primary
caregiver
- Provide expriences
that add security
- Provide visual
stimulation

toddler

Autonomy vs shame
- Child learns to be
independent

- Provide opportunities
for decision making
- Praise

preschooler

Initiative vs guilt
- Child learns how to do
things

- Provide opportunities
for exploring new
places or activities
- Allow play

School age

Industry vs inferiority
- Child learns how to do
things well

- Allow child to
complete a
task/project to feel
rewarded for

Psychosocial Theory
(Erickson)
Developmental Task
Nursing Implications
Young adult

Intimacy vs isolation
-ability to relate well
with other people to
form long lasting
friendship

- Need for strong sense

of identity before they
can reach out fully and
offer friendship or love

Middle aged adult

Generativity vs
stagnation
-people extend concern
to the community and
the world

- Sense of generativity
self confident
- Without sense of
generativity self
absorbed

Older adult

- -despair wish life

Integrity vs despair
- Older adult with
could begin over
integrity feel good about
again to turn out
life choices
differently

Stages of Cognitive Development

(Piaget)
Stages of
Development

Age Span

Nursing implications

Neonatal reflex

1 mo

-stimuli are assimilated

into beginning mental
images
- Behavior is reflexive

Primary circular reaction

1-4 mo

- Hand-mouth and eareye coordination

develop
- Toy-rattle or tape of
parents voice

Secondary circular
reaction

4-8 mo

- Infant learns to
initiate, recognize and
repeat pleasurable
experiences from
environment
- Memory traces (+)

Sensorimotor

Stages of Cognitive Development

(Piaget)
Stages of
Development

Age Span

Nursing implications

Tertiary circular reaction

12-18 mos

- Capable of space
perception, and time
perception as well as
permanence
- Toy-throw and retrieve

Invention of new means

through mental
combinations

18-24 mo

- Uses memory and

imitation to act
- Can solve basic
problems
- Toy blocks, colored
plastic rings ( several
uses)

Preoperational thought

2-7 yr

- Thoughts- symbolic,
mental answers
- Egocentric

Sensorimotor

Stages of Cognitive Development

(Piaget)
Stages of
Development

Age Span

Nursing implications

Concrete operational
thought

7-12 yr

- Systematic reasoning
- Classify and use of
serials
- Undesrtand
conservation
- Activity- colecting and
classifying

Formal operational
thought

12yr

- solve hypothetical
problems with
scientific reasoning
- Understand causality
and can deal with
past,present and
future
- Activity- talk time to
sort attitudes and

Stages of Moral Development

(Kohlberg)
Age (yr)

Stage

Description

Nursing
Implication

preconventional

Level I

2-3

Punishment
/obedience
orientation
- Heteronymous
morality
- Child does right
because
parents tells
them to and to
avoid
punishment

- Child needs to
determine what
are right actions,
give clear
instructions

4-7

- Individualism:
instrumental
purpose and
exchange

Child is unable to
recognize that
like situations
require like

Stages of Moral Development

(Kohlberg)
Age (yr)

Stage

Description

Nursing
Implication

Conventional le

Level II

7-10

- Child enjoys
-orientation to
interpersonal
helping other
relations of
because it is
mutuality
nice behavior
- Allow child to
- Child follows
rules because of a
help
- Praise for good
need to be a
good person in
behavior
own eyes and
eyes of others

10-12

Maintenance of
social order, fixed
rules and
authority
- Follows rules of

- Follow self care

measures only
if someone is
there to
reinforce