Erikson: Industry Vs. Inferiority – School-Age

Erikson's Industry vs. Inferiority (approximately 6 to 12 years) is the school-age stage. The child's central task is developing a sense of competence — mastering academic, social, and physical skills. When children experience success and recognition, they develop industry (a sense of capability and productivity). When they feel inadequate or unable to perform at the level of peers, inferiority develops. Clinical relevance: Hospitalization removes the school-age child from the very arenas where competence is demonstrated: school, sports, peer groups. The nurse's role includes facilitating continuity with these domains while supporting the child's participation in their own healthcare. Learning objectives: - Identify the developmental characteristics of school-age children relevant to nursing care - Apply age-appropriate communication and preparation strategies for hospitalized school-age children - Recognize the impact of illness on school-age development and peer relationships - Support the child's participation in care decisions On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic...