DEVELOPMENTAL CRISIS IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: A ...

Second Phase: separation and emotional upheaval (Yes/No)
Third Phase: exploration, experimentation, search for self-understanding (Yes/No)
Fourth Phase: recommitment and finding new balance (Yes/No)
The results of the responses are show a unanimous agreement with Phase 2
and Phase 3 – all participants replied “Yes” showing their agreement with the
description of these phases in reference to their own experience.
12 replied “Yes” to Phase 1; there were 2 “No” responses.
13 replied “Yes” to Phase 4 with 1 “No” response.
Vern from Study 1 did not feel that Phase 1 applied to his case, and this may
have been due to a misreading of the model. He complained that his Phase 1 had no
relationship to materialist issues. He was under the impression upon reading the
document that a materialistic element is a necessary part of Phase 1, when it is not, for
often an extrinsic motive is one of duty or conformity rather than a material motive.
This may have been the result of some unclear wording, so this section was altered to
make this point clearer. Another complaint with Phase 1, made by Ben, is that
although his life prior to his wife leaving him was pressured and difficult, both at
home and at work, it was not necessarily extrinsically motivated and it was in many
ways intrinsically motivated until the break up of the marriage. However, Ben agreed
with the other descriptions of Phase 1.
Victoria was the one participant who did not think phase 4 applies to her crisis.
She actually did describe a clear resolution to the crisis during her interview, but had
found that since the interview she had been precipitated back into an unstable state
after resigning from her job. She said:
“In general, apart from what I said about finding new balance, I'd say the model is
very accurate. The most accurate aspect is about the going back to study in the
Exploration phase and the new sense of self in the post crisis. I now wonder if I never
got out of this crisis, because of what it's happening to me at the moment, or if my life
has been one crisis after the other, because I still had periods of depression lately, it
was just before handing in my resignation, but I must say that these periods last less
and less compared to years ago.” (Victoria, feedback email)
It was described in Chapter 2 how developmental equilibrium in humans is
inherently transitory and will always lead to another disequilibrated state.
Victoria is an example of this; her feedback emphasises that equilibrium found
after a crisis is a temporary step forward and can be thrown out of balance by new
challenges and problems.
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