Child Life Theory and Practice Final
Child Life Theory -
focuses on cognitive and social learning theories, temperament, stress/coping,
systems and play.
Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage -
children birth to 2 years of age. Contains object perminancy and tertiary
circulatory reactions.
Piaget's Preoperational Stage -
children 2 years to 7 years of age. Contains preconceptual egocentric thought,
mental imagery, intuitive and language development.
Piaget's Concrete Operational Stage -
children 7 years to 11 years of age. Contains conservation, reversibility and is
rule based.
Piaget's Formal Operational Stage -
adolescence to adulthood ages.
Trust vs. Mistrust -
Erikson's 1st stage of development. (Infants)
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt -
Erikson's 2nd stage of development. (Early childhood)
Initiative vs. Guilt -
Erikson's 3rd stage of development. (Play age)
Industry vs. Inferiority -
Erikson's 4th stage of development. (School age)
Identity vs. Identity Confusion -
Erikson's 5th stage of development. (Adolescence)
Intimacy vs. Isolation -
Eriskon's 6th stage of development. (Young adult)
Generativity vs. Self Absorption -
Erikson's 7th stage of development. (Adulthood)
Integrity vs. Despair -
Erikson's 8th stage of development. (Mature age)
Temperament -
a way to describe unique characteristics of the child observed in relation to
specific characteristics of the environment.
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, Easy Child Temperament -
40% of children. The child quickly establishes regular routines in infancy and is
generally cheerful, and adapts easily to new experiences.
Difficult Child Temperament -
10% of children. The child has irregularity in daily routines, is slow to accept
new experiences and tends to react negatively and intensely.
Slow-to-Warm Child Temperament -
15% of children. The child is inactive, shows mild and low-key reactions to
environmental stimuli, is negative in mood, and adjusts slowly to new experiences.
Combination Temperament -
35% of children. The child is difficult, easy and slow-to-warm
Goodness of Fit -
when the properties of the environment and it's expectations are in accord with
the individuals characteristics and style of behaving.
How do we determine a hospitalized child's temperament? -
talk with the parents about their normal behavior
Information Processing Theory -
input from the environment provides raw material for learning and memory.
Attention is essential to the learning process. Cognitive development involves gradual
changes in various components of this.
How do we facilitate basic cognitive processes? -
providing a variety of sensory experiences, helping children attend to things that
are important for them to learn and remember, relate new information to the child's existing
knowledge and remember that children can only remember small chunks of information at
one time.
Stress -
the ongoing transaction between a person and the environment that results in an
emotional appraisal that the situation is threatening or harmful to some important aspect of
well-being.
Emotion-Based Coping -
coping that involves reappraisal and tension release.
Problem-Based Coping -
coping that involves seeking information.
System Centered Care -
the strengths and needs of the system drives the delivery of healthcare. This care
develops practices, programs and policies that address the needs and priorities of the
healthcare system.
2|Page
Child Life Theory -
focuses on cognitive and social learning theories, temperament, stress/coping,
systems and play.
Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage -
children birth to 2 years of age. Contains object perminancy and tertiary
circulatory reactions.
Piaget's Preoperational Stage -
children 2 years to 7 years of age. Contains preconceptual egocentric thought,
mental imagery, intuitive and language development.
Piaget's Concrete Operational Stage -
children 7 years to 11 years of age. Contains conservation, reversibility and is
rule based.
Piaget's Formal Operational Stage -
adolescence to adulthood ages.
Trust vs. Mistrust -
Erikson's 1st stage of development. (Infants)
Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt -
Erikson's 2nd stage of development. (Early childhood)
Initiative vs. Guilt -
Erikson's 3rd stage of development. (Play age)
Industry vs. Inferiority -
Erikson's 4th stage of development. (School age)
Identity vs. Identity Confusion -
Erikson's 5th stage of development. (Adolescence)
Intimacy vs. Isolation -
Eriskon's 6th stage of development. (Young adult)
Generativity vs. Self Absorption -
Erikson's 7th stage of development. (Adulthood)
Integrity vs. Despair -
Erikson's 8th stage of development. (Mature age)
Temperament -
a way to describe unique characteristics of the child observed in relation to
specific characteristics of the environment.
1|Page
, Easy Child Temperament -
40% of children. The child quickly establishes regular routines in infancy and is
generally cheerful, and adapts easily to new experiences.
Difficult Child Temperament -
10% of children. The child has irregularity in daily routines, is slow to accept
new experiences and tends to react negatively and intensely.
Slow-to-Warm Child Temperament -
15% of children. The child is inactive, shows mild and low-key reactions to
environmental stimuli, is negative in mood, and adjusts slowly to new experiences.
Combination Temperament -
35% of children. The child is difficult, easy and slow-to-warm
Goodness of Fit -
when the properties of the environment and it's expectations are in accord with
the individuals characteristics and style of behaving.
How do we determine a hospitalized child's temperament? -
talk with the parents about their normal behavior
Information Processing Theory -
input from the environment provides raw material for learning and memory.
Attention is essential to the learning process. Cognitive development involves gradual
changes in various components of this.
How do we facilitate basic cognitive processes? -
providing a variety of sensory experiences, helping children attend to things that
are important for them to learn and remember, relate new information to the child's existing
knowledge and remember that children can only remember small chunks of information at
one time.
Stress -
the ongoing transaction between a person and the environment that results in an
emotional appraisal that the situation is threatening or harmful to some important aspect of
well-being.
Emotion-Based Coping -
coping that involves reappraisal and tension release.
Problem-Based Coping -
coping that involves seeking information.
System Centered Care -
the strengths and needs of the system drives the delivery of healthcare. This care
develops practices, programs and policies that address the needs and priorities of the
healthcare system.
2|Page
