Sonia is passing through the issues of being compared to others, especially at school. At the age of nine, she will have tests, for example, in math, a subject she hates. Sonia fears to fail as she will feel inferior to others. The hate of being compared to others makes the students prefer to stay at home with her mother. Isolation is as a result of fear that Sonia has of not measuring up to other students.
The psychosocial conflict Sonia is experiencing is the fear of inferiority and failure. Sonia is isolated as she fears that she may not measure up to her fellow students in math, which explains why Sonia cries every time a math lesson follows (Kader & Roman, 2018). Sonia also fears that she may not perform in other activities such as on the field, and that is why she would rather stay with her mother.
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Erickson’s Psychosocial Development theory places Sonia at the stage of industry vs. inferiority. At this age, children develop a sense of pride due to accomplishment in activities such as sports, family, schoolwork, or social activities (Cherry, 2018). Some children feel inferior and inadequate as they do not measure up to their colleagues. It is clear that Sonia is experiencing inferiority and prefers to be isolated than compete with other students.
To help Sonia, the first thing is letting her understand that there is no shame in trying anything and failing once does not classify her as inferior. Sonia can start participating in groups with other classmates, where they discuss subjects such as math. In that way, she will not be isolated and will learn to interact with other students instead of staying at home with her mother.
References
Cherry, K. (2018). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved June, 5, 2018.
Kader, Z., & Roman, N. V. (2018). The effects of family conflict on the psychological needs and externalizing behavior of preadolescents. Social Work, 54(1), 37-52.