DEVELOPMENTAL CRISIS IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: A ...

The model holds, but for the gents phase 1 takes differing forms depending on the cluster. There is not
a consensus on being trapped in some proverbial prison, but a variety of stressful predicaments that
lead to untenable situations, which in turn lead to separations.
Only Guy, Vern, Leon, George, really talked about being trapped. Trapped is not the point here.
Perhaps it is stasis. Is phase 1 stasis: whether trapped or not, life has come to a standstill. Frenetic
inactivity, to use Guy’s phrase.
The common denominator for the blokes in phase 1 is not being “trapped”, but being highly pressured.
Being out of control is critical too.
I think this is the common denominator of the male and female groups in phase 1. The issue of
passivity is here, of not standing one’s ground, of duty.
The separation, the emotion peak, the experimentation, the exploding self, possible selves, final
resolution in a role built on purpose, enthusiasm and the Dream.
OK, in my head at the mo:
10/1/2006
Early adulthood is a time about making commitments and limiting choices, putting restrictions on life
so that depth and stability can be found and an adult life structure can be built.
If this is done before an ego identity, or self-understanding, or adult agency, or separation from family,
is complete, then this commitment may cause a crisis predicament.
24/3/06
There are two kinds of loss of agency, at least, I think:
Loss of surgency
There is the passivity born of a lack of self-belief, self-worth, a fundamental lack of surgency, a victim
mentality, having a controlling partner or boss that pushes you around.
Loss of spirit
Then there is the loss of agency that involves not being able to say no, to feel compelled not to bring
one’s own agenda to life because of forces being exerted on you,so that the emotional, inner part of life
disappears. The surgency is there, but the spirit is not.
Both lead to a sense of being out of control, of being controlled from without
27/03/06
Kinds of Phase 1:
Stuck in a rut: inertia of habit and foreclosed commitments, lack of confidence to get outs.
Out of control: relationship with controlling / volatile other, very high pressure at work, problematic /
controlling boss
18.7.06
Just writing up Claire’s interview, it is apparent how differently one has to react to crisis if one has
children. One cannot take several years out to ponder, rediscover, explore and so on, due to the
responsibility of providing financially and materially for the children. I get the feeling that Claire’s
story, which is decidedly different from the others in terms of a complete lack of phase 3, is due to the
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