Biological Psychological and Social Dimensions of Anna Case Study

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Introduction

This paper reviews a case vignette, “Anna”, determines the developmental stage of the individual and assesses how well the individual is achieving the developmental tasks and issues present at the Biological, Psychological, and Social dimensions.

Anna’s Biological/physical functioning

(1) Completion of physical development tasks:

Anna is a 47-year-old Latina divorcee with two children, 23 and 26 years of age, residing in another state. Biological changes typical to the midlife phase, in which Anna currently is, include increased joint aches, weight gain and vision impairment (Lachman, 2004). By midlife, hearing and sight gets impaired among roughly 14% of individuals (Lumen, 2017). However Anna reports hardly any changes in these areas. Elevated blood pressure rates, stroke and smoking aggravate vision and hearing impairment; the above factors are absent in Anna and her healthy lifestyle makes her unlikely to experience them in the near future.

(2) Significant illness/disease:

Anna's mom and dad, aged 80 and 87 years respectively, have started experiencing health issues. The former suffers from arthritis and struggles with walking while the latter has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes. Among her siblings, Anna alone lives in town, thus, sees to her parents. Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions commence during one’s 50s. Disability rates increase with age– 7% of individuals develop disability during their early 40s while by the time they reach their 60s, 30% of individuals develop disabilities, particularly underprivileged classes (Bumpass and Aquilino, 1995; Lumen, 2017). Despite arthritis not being hereditary, Anna ought to watch out. The typical midlife weight gain caused by belly fat deposits isn’t evident in Anna, on account of her healthy way of living. Her chief health concern is progressively increasing anxiety, caused by the uncertainty linked to her relationship with Robert, a Black American – a relationship frowned upon by her Catholic family. Consequently, she experiences sleep issues and constant worry regarding trivial routine things.

(3) Nutrition and exercise issues

Anna is a book club member, and is enrolled in the local gym and a cookery class. She is in good physical shape and socializes no less than once weekly with neighborhood friends. In her view, exercise significantly facilitates the combating of age-related changes, by building muscle, alleviating stress, improving metabolism, controlling blood glucose and increasing bone density. But not even 50% of midlife-age people exercise; of these, only two in ten exercise sufficiently strenuously and often, like Anna, to attain health benefits from it (Lumen, 2017).

Aging decreases individual calorie requirement. The common response to weight gain is dieting. More important than quantity is the quality of food consumed. Poor quality food consumption gives rise to mineral and vitamin deficits, necessitating mineral and vitamin supplements prescriptions (Lumen, 2017).

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But Anna’s healthy diet has prevented this issue thus far. Her cookery course recommends a diet regime suited to her age which she faithfully follows.

Anna’s Psychological functioning

(1) Cognitive development

Anna is evidently wise, strong, and independent, with a healthy lifestyle and a stable job. Information on midlife mental abilities reveals individuals in this phase (including Anna) exhibit equal or even better professional and personal performance as compared to younger people. Studies reveal dwindling numeric ability, while some indicate a slight deterioration in conscious processing efficacy and reaction time in midlife. But, on the whole, midlife psychometric intellectual functioning remains sound (Durkin, NA). Anna fails to show any of the above signs. However, distraction has caused her to miss deadlines of late. Her work quality, though, remains perfect, indicating sound cognitive abilities.

(2) Cultural development

For Anna, the midlife may be marked by: hitting the highest point in her intellectual skills, issue resolution ability and expertise. Her creative output can suffer in quantity though not in quality. In terms of career, any of the following is possible: reaching the pinnacle, career shift, or burnout (Papalia, Olds, and Feldman, 2017).

Middle?aged individuals exhibit considerably different thinking from youth. They have a set focus owing to understandings acquired from experience. Anna’s worldview has also changed, and she has understood the niceties of compromising, resolving conflicts and questioning authority. She displays Piaget's formal operations phase marked by the capabilities of abstract thinking, theory resolution and logical reasoning. However, for her current situation, formal operations doesn’t suffice. Life’s uncertainties might give rise to highly vague and variable issues that can’t be adequately handled by this sort of straightforward reasoning. The development and application of post-formal thought is likely, marked by objectively applying realistic common sense for tackling vague issues (Cliff Notes, 2017).

(3) Emotional development

Anna is less often, and intensely, experiencing resentment, dread and other negative emotions; she exhibits greater optimism, generally, with regard to her life now (Papalia, Olds, and Feldman, 2017). But her intimate relationship with Robert suggested an immense contrast: she is utterly torn between her personal preference, familial expectations, Robert’s views, and her own beliefs. Midlife persons perform better mentally and emotionally. In contradictory circumstances, they typically attempt at gauging others’ feelings and reasons underlying them, considering everyone’s views, and offering more balanced explanations. They apparently combine problem resolution and emotional understanding (Durkin, NA). Here’s where Anna falls short though; she has seldom questioned her religion or her family in relation to things she desires. Despite understanding differences,….....

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