Adult Development Case and Intervention Analysis

This paper will focus on the case of Richard who is twenty-one-years-old. He has been suffering from an autism disorder since he was five-years-old. He completed school and wants to be independent as well as secure a job position. His parents are against this move because they do not see his capability of living on his own and overcome the challenges associated with independence. In accordance with the Erickson concept, Richard is in the wrong stage of development. He is still in the identity and role confusion stage because of his developmental disorder. The possible interventions that can help him gain independence are enrolling in an organization that offers skill improvement programs to increase his abilities in working. His parents should also take part in solving his case to help him live alone. 

Part 1: Simulated Case Study 

Richard is a 21-year-old male and has been suffering from ASD since he was five years. At this age, he enrolled in the developmental deferred pre-kindergarten curriculum in a nearby school. Richard continued his education in an ordinary classroom with the other pupils. He was an exceptional student education and got support from his teachers in the schoolwork as well as the social experiences. Richard’s grade was average but experienced challenges in mathematics and science disciplines. He has few friends and does not socialize with his friends. Richard is imaginative and creative. He draws pictures and writes texts. Richard was a victim of bullying in his middle school and high school. His age mates gave him funny names because of his exclusion from them. Richard’s teacher tried to stop the behavior but he did not make any complaints. The teachers and school administration suggested that Richard should go to the neighboring high school that offers education to students with special cases such as ASD after having a meeting with his parents. The parents obliged to the recommendations and he joined the school where he improved his performance in academics because the new setting met his special needs. He completed his high school education and got a certificate from the school. 

Richard lives in his parent’s house. He does all the basic activities by himself including grooming and hygiene. His younger sister is in the university. Richard has completed education and wants to move out to look for a job. Richard wants to be independent but his parents oppose that he still has to live with them. The parents have shared their views with him but it has affected Richard leading to depression and defiance. He affirms that he has the potential to live on his own because he lived in school until the age of 21 years. Richard reminded his parents that they motivated him to pursue his dreams and work hard. He is jealous of his sister who is away from home but he has been living with his parents after he completed school. His parents are not sure of the actions they should take on Richard’s case. 

Presenting Challenges and Primary Issues 

Richard wants to be independent at the age of twenty-one years. He has no experience on the challenges and situations that one faces when living alone. Richard’s parents are worried about him because he has not gotten the skills of becoming independent and they cannot restrict him from leaving. Throughout his education life, he has acquired life skills but they are not adequate to help him overcome problems he might encounter when leaving by himself. It can be difficult for Richard to secure a job that will meet his needs because he has a high school certificate from the program offered by the ASD institution. In case he gets employed, he will earn a minimum wage of an unskilled employee. 

Richard’s parents are concerned about his welfare but they are not over-protective. It is clear that they have no confidence in Richard’s abilities. The parents have not mentioned they will support Richard in meeting his needs. Their concerns are rational but they have not promised to assist him in living on his own. 

Much attention is given to ASD plans on children rather than adults. Some ASD schedules for adults have begun to be incorporated in institutions. The adults and children with ADS have increased. The needs of individuals with autism keep on changing and their families are not aware of the techniques to use follow the changes. The development of childhood to adulthood is confusing to parents and the youths with autism. Parents do not examine their options on their children suffering from ASD. They make an assumption that they will live with their children for a long time while providing care and ( Newson et al, 2012). 

Theory and Research 

Erikson developed Freud theory which states that superego is replaced by ego. This means that children respect their personality rather than power. Erickson focused on the improvement experienced by an individual in their lifetime. Freud paid much attention to id as well as superego but Erickson dealt with the ego. 

Erikson proposed that the psychosocial improvement process focuses on eight steps that an individual has to pass through from childhood to adulthood. Richard, at twenty-one years, should be in the intimacy and isolation phase. The stage starts from nineteen to forty years of an individual. In this stage, people take into account their physical along with emotional relationships including romance and social relations. Erickson argued that people who are capable of engaging in relationships at this stage have long-term friendships. People who experience challenges in this phase build poor and unsteady relationships with their lovers, relatives, and friends. These people face isolation, feel lonely or are depressed (Erikson, 1950). Richard has not reached this age in spite of being in the age brackets of this stage. 

In accordance with Erikson’s theory, Richard is not in the appropriate developmental stage because he has ASD or he just completed school. With respect to the case study (See Appendix one), Richard is in the identity and role confusion phase which is experienced by adolescents. This stage begins with the commencement of puberty. The adolescents focus on the significance of relationships and growing to the adult stage. Richard is going through the same things that the students in the high school experience. Most of them find means of becoming independent. According to Marcia and Josselson (2013), adolescents should become independent when the important elements are present including physical, mental, and social. The communities expect much from the young people which drives them to pursue their dreams. The youths have to make decisions that will cover the gap of their dependence and independence (p. 619). In this phase, the cultural and peer influence factors are addressed but Richard does not take account of them (Salamone, 2016). In this phase, Richard is looking for his personality and independence. At this confusion phase, it is appropriate for highly-functional ASD person. 

The physiological state of Richard does not match his psychological level. He is thinking like a teenager but he has grown in his early adulthood. Richard should reason like a person in their final teen years because he has completed education and is ready to get employed. Most teenagers identify their personality through seeking independence. According to Dixon and Kohen (2003), operational reasoning begins during adolescence and continues to adulthood. Richard has not developed enough skills to think and reason on his own. He should be aware that he cannot get a good job with the certificate of the ASD program. 

Analyzing Richard’s Case 

Richard’s parents are interested in his welfare. He is mature and can leave their household. Richard has the potential to care for himself but has no experience in working or does not have a clue of where he is going to settle. His parents perceive that he is not ready to live by himself now and in the future. Richard has completed school and wants to be independent. He has never lived on his own or gotten skills for employment. These are the concrete reasons for the parents prohibiting Richard to settle down. Richard’s parents have not offered assistance for their son to live alone. 

Potential Impact and Cultural Differences 

Studies show that adolescents want to have independence when they search for their identity. The challenge that teenagers face is to establish their real identity. In a study carried out on personality indicated that the African-American early adults had challenges in determining their real identity. They behaved differently from their original personality. The Asians and Caucasians identified their personality at an early age of 18 years (Terracciano et al, 2003) . Richard is 21 years old and he has not identified his real identity. 

Interventions and Long-Term Prognosis 

Richard can be given the freedom to become independent in spite of having a developmental problem. There are residential facilities and daily schedules that are formed to help adults with severe autistic cases. Some programs are available around the country that assists individuals with ASD to secure employment and become independent. An individual with ASD but is active has the potential of working and making developments in the society (Durand, 2014) . 

Many institutions have schedules that motivate adults with ASD to become independent. Some of the adults can live by themselves but others will need assistance. They need to be assisted in managing money, maintaining hygiene, making decisions, buying clothes and items. Some schedules are formed to offer help in the long-run or to establish homes, skill improvement institution for adults with ASD. These institutions can be a suitable method for an individual with ASD to become independent in their household and provide care for their welfare. Many programs are designed to support the ASD adults to acquire employment experience and counseling. The adults can be independent when they leave their parents household and enroll in the skill development organizations for autistic people. In addition, the adult can live on their own after getting counseling and raining ( Selcer et al, 2015) . There is no treatment for autism but there are interventions and research methods that can be used in ASD adults to become active in the community. 

Richard’s parents should implement the interventions for him to gain independence. Firstly, they can communicate with the job placement organization to help Richard secure a job position. Richard’s parents should explain the organization on his capabilities and help him improve on the weaknesses for him to get the job. Secondly, Richard can visit his sister in the university without he parents consent to examine his skills of independence. In case the recommendations are not successful, he can enroll in a skill improvement institution to increase his experience in working and become an active member of the society. The parents should look for a local improvement facility and explain to the instructors the skills that Richard needs to have to secure a job. The skills can include self-confidence, self-management, and decision making (Smith, Greenberg & Mailick, 2012) . 

Conclusion 

Richard is a twenty-one-year-old male with an autistic disorder. He graduated from high-school at the age of eighteen years and has been living with his parents since then. He got a certificate from a program that trains adolescents with autism. Richard informed his parents that he wants to be independent and acquire a job. His parents were concerned about his welfare because he has never lived by himself. They do not believe he has the capability of meeting his needs, making his own decisions and solving problems. The views of Richard and his parents are different but there are interventions as well as solutions that could solve this case. 

With respect to Erickson’s principle of psychosocial improvement, the case of Richard at his twenty-one-year-old age is not applicable. Richard falls under the adolescent phase in Erickson theory due to his developmental challenges and he completed his studies recently. He is looking for his personality and he is doing this through seeking independence. He is searching for his identity and seeking it through gaining independence. It is possible that Richard’s intimacy and isolation phase will lead to rejecting alternative feature of his condition. 

Richard’s parents can assist him in gaining independence after analyzing their alternatives and expounding on their thoughts on the potential of their son. It will be a slow procedure because most individuals with autistic challenges do not embrace changes in a quick manner. The first action that Richard’s parents should take is to visit the facility that offers skill improvement schedules to autistic people. They should investigate every module with the specific provisions. Richard should take part in their debate and decision that they will make. Richard can get satisfaction after getting independence and an employment opportunity. 

The ASD analysis is becoming common around the world because the people examined with autism are increasing. The interventions to ASD are increasing which has led to the improvement of the condition of individuals with autistic problems. It becomes challenging when examining a condition that has no cure and cause. 

References  

Dixon, R. A., & Cohen, A. L. (2003). Cognitive development in adulthood.  Handbook of psychology . 

Durand, V. M. (2014). Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism spectrum disorder: A clinical guide for general practitioners , 3-8. 10.1037/14283-007 

Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Norton. 

Marcia, J., & Josselson, R. (2013). Eriksonian Personality Research and Its Implications for Psychotherapy. Journal of Personality , 81 (6), 617-629. 

Newsom, C. R., Weitlauf, A. S., Taylor, C. M., & Warren, Z. E. (2012). Parenting adults with ASD: Lessons for researchers and clinicians. Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, 2 (3), 199-205. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/1318896376?accountid=27965 

Salamone, F. A. (2016). Adolescence. In S. Bronner (Ed.), Encyclopedia of American studies . MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved from http://library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/jhueas /adolescence/0?institutionId=816 

Selcer, A., Karlsen, M., Mitchell, J., Decker, P. J., & Durand, R. (2015). What do adults with ASD desire in their residence? Housing, Care, and Support, 18 (1), 31-40. 

Smith, L. E., Greenberg, J. S., & Mailick, M. R. (2012). Adults with autism: Outcomes, family effects, and the multi-family group psycho-education model.  Current Psychiatry Reports ,  14 (6), 732-738. 

Terracciano, A., Merritt, M., Zonderman, A. B., & Evans, M. K. (2003). Personality traits and sex differences in emotion recognition among African Americans and Caucasians.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences ,  1000 (1), 309-312. 

APPENDIX 

Appendix One 

Richard is a 21-year-old male and has been suffering from ASD since he was five years. At this age, he enrolled in the developmental deferred pre-kindergarten curriculum in a nearby school. Richard continued his education in an ordinary classroom with the other pupils. He was an exceptional student education and got support from his teachers in the schoolwork as well as the social experiences. Richard’s grade was average but experienced challenges in mathematics and science disciplines. He has few friends and does not socialize with his friends. Richard is imaginative and creative. He draws pictures and writes texts. Richard was a victim of bullying in his middle school and high school. His age mates gave him funny names because of his exclusion from them. Richard’s teacher tried to stop the behavior but he did not make any complaints. The teachers and school administration suggested that Richard should go to the neighboring high school that offers education to students with special cases such as ASD after having a meeting with his parents. The parents obliged to the recommendations and he joined the school where he improved his performance in academics because the new setting met his special needs. He completed his high school education and got a certificate from the school. 

Richard lives in his parent’s house. He does all the basic activities by himself including grooming and hygiene. His younger sister is in the university. Richard has completed education and wants to move out to look for a job. Richard wants to be independent but his parents oppose that he still has to live with them. The parents have shared their views with him but it has affected Richard leading to depression and defiance. He affirms that he has the potential to live on his own because he lived in school until the age of 21 years. Richard reminded his parents that hey motivated him to pursue his dreams and work hard. He is jealous of his sister who is away from home but he has been living with his parents after he completed school. His parents are not sure of the actions they should take on Richard’s case.