Social Work License (MSW Exam)
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
Piaget
(Adaptations, Assimilation and Accommodation) - ✔✔0-1 Sensory-Motor
2-4 Preoperational Period
5-7 "
8-12 Concrete Operations period
13-18 formal Operations period
19-21
21 +
50 +
Freud (Libido) - ✔✔0-1 Oral
2-4 Anal
Oedipal/Phallic
8-12 Latency
13-18 Genital
19-21 "
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,21+ "
50 + "
Erickson
(Stage conflict) - ✔✔0-1 Trust vs. Mistrust (stage #1)
2-4 Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (stage #2)
5-7 Initiative vs. Guilt (stage #3)
8-12 Industry vs. Inferiority (stage #4)
13-18 Identity vs. Role Diffusion, confusion (stage #5)
19-21 Intimacy Vs. Isolation (stage #6)
21 + Generativity vs. Stagnation (stage #7)
50 + Integrity vs. Despair (stage #8)
Trust vs. Mistrust (stage 1) 0-1 - ✔✔During infancy (0-1) the child is dependent on
mother for food and care. As the child incorporates or takes in through sucking and
swallowing; there is a receptivity to what is being offered. The mother is responsible for
coordinating the child's experience of getting and hers of giving. At the latter part of
this stage the child's eyes begin to focus and incorporation becomes more active as the
child bites to "hold onto" things. If the mother provides a predictable environment in
which the child's needs are met, a sense of basic trust will develop. This sense of trust
implies not only sameness and continuity from the caretaker, but also self-trust in one's
capacity to cope with urges. According to Erickson, it is the quality rather than the
quantity of maternal care that is critical at this stage. Successful resolution will lead to a
lasting ego quality of hope, an enduring belief that wishes can be fulfilled. Unsuccessful
resolution will lead to a sense of mistrust in other people and the environment.
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (stage 2) 2-3 - ✔✔During early childhood (2-3) the
child learns a sense of autonomy through retention and elimination of urine and feces.
As the child's muscles mature to the point that bodily wastes can be retained or
expelled at will, the child experiments with two simultaneous social modalities "holding
on" and "letting go." Parents must be firm and tolerant so that the child can gradually
learn bowel and bladder control and a "sense of self-control without loss of self esteem."
From this emerges a sense of autonomy and pride, and the lasting ego quality of WILL
POWER, the determination to use free choice and self-restraint. Unsuccessful resolution
of this stage will lead to lifelong feelings of shame and doubt.
Initiative vs. Guilt (stage 3) 3-5 - ✔✔During the play age (3-5), increased locomotor
mastery (walking and running) gives the child a wider radius of goals. In addition,
language skills add to the ability to imagine "so many things he cannot avoid
frightening himself with what he himself has created and thought up." The Oedipal
wishes and the ambivalent feelings that accompany them must be repressed in order to
temporarily mask the initiative toward the opposite sex parent. While this initiative is a
prerequisite for masculine and feminine behaviors later in life, it is now repressed of
necessity-in order to avoid the guilt that would accompany knowledge of incestuous
thoughts. Parents assist the child in learning appropriate roles, including gender roles,
as the child diverts the sexual drive into acceptable activities. At this point conscience,
or superego, becomes established to govern the initiative. Proper resolution of this stage
leads to a lasting ego quality of purpose, the courage to pursue goals. Unsuccessful
resolution leads to feeling of shame.
Industry vs. Inferiority (stage 4) 6-12 - ✔✔The child now enters the school age (6-12)
and is enmeshed in the "world" of school and opportunities for new types of mastery.
As children develop their abilities in new skills and tasks, they desire recognition
gained from producing things. Through this, they develop a sense of industry and a
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, lasting ego quality of competence. Unsuccessful resolution of this stage leads to life long
feelings of inferiority and inadequacy.
Identity vs. Role Confusion (stage 5) 12-18 - ✔✔As the child approaches adolescence
(12-18 or so), physical and hormonal changes mark the beginning of puberty. Rapid
growth and physical genital maturity disrupt the earlier continuity of childhood. This
stage is perhaps the most important for Erikson, as the adolescent must now forge a
lasting ego identity through aligning his or her basic dries, endowments, and
opportunities. A sense of ego identity is "the accrued confidence that ones ability to
maintain inner sameness and continuity...is matched by the sameness and continuity of
ones meaning for others. Thus, self-esteem grows to be a conviction that one is learning
effective steps toward a tangible future, that one is developing a defined personality
within a social reality which one understands. As the adolescent struggles to integrate
past and future views of self and begins to define new appropriate sex roles, an identity
crisis may emerge from this confusion. New expectations from parents may add to this
stress. Tolerance, understanding, and guidance in the home can assist the adolescent in
achieving an integrated identity. Unsuccessful resolution can result in either role
confusion or identity diffusion, a state in which the individual is left with strong doubts
about who he or she "is." This may lead to delinquency, psychotic incidents, or over-
identification with others. Youths who emerge with a strong sense of identity and
individuality gain a lasting ego quality of fidelity or freely pledges loyalties.
Intimacy vs. Isolation (stage 6) (early to late 20s) - ✔✔Young adulthood (early to late
20s) brings an end to the years of childhood and youth. It is now time for choosing a
career, socializing with the opposite sex, and eventually marriage and raising a family.
Interpersonal intimacy is the task of this stage, encompassing both psychological and
sexual intimacy. Failure to achieve intimacy leads to isolation, an inability to develop
intimate and meaningful relationship. The person who cannot be intimate will likely be
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
Piaget
(Adaptations, Assimilation and Accommodation) - ✔✔0-1 Sensory-Motor
2-4 Preoperational Period
5-7 "
8-12 Concrete Operations period
13-18 formal Operations period
19-21
21 +
50 +
Freud (Libido) - ✔✔0-1 Oral
2-4 Anal
Oedipal/Phallic
8-12 Latency
13-18 Genital
19-21 "
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,21+ "
50 + "
Erickson
(Stage conflict) - ✔✔0-1 Trust vs. Mistrust (stage #1)
2-4 Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (stage #2)
5-7 Initiative vs. Guilt (stage #3)
8-12 Industry vs. Inferiority (stage #4)
13-18 Identity vs. Role Diffusion, confusion (stage #5)
19-21 Intimacy Vs. Isolation (stage #6)
21 + Generativity vs. Stagnation (stage #7)
50 + Integrity vs. Despair (stage #8)
Trust vs. Mistrust (stage 1) 0-1 - ✔✔During infancy (0-1) the child is dependent on
mother for food and care. As the child incorporates or takes in through sucking and
swallowing; there is a receptivity to what is being offered. The mother is responsible for
coordinating the child's experience of getting and hers of giving. At the latter part of
this stage the child's eyes begin to focus and incorporation becomes more active as the
child bites to "hold onto" things. If the mother provides a predictable environment in
which the child's needs are met, a sense of basic trust will develop. This sense of trust
implies not only sameness and continuity from the caretaker, but also self-trust in one's
capacity to cope with urges. According to Erickson, it is the quality rather than the
quantity of maternal care that is critical at this stage. Successful resolution will lead to a
lasting ego quality of hope, an enduring belief that wishes can be fulfilled. Unsuccessful
resolution will lead to a sense of mistrust in other people and the environment.
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (stage 2) 2-3 - ✔✔During early childhood (2-3) the
child learns a sense of autonomy through retention and elimination of urine and feces.
As the child's muscles mature to the point that bodily wastes can be retained or
expelled at will, the child experiments with two simultaneous social modalities "holding
on" and "letting go." Parents must be firm and tolerant so that the child can gradually
learn bowel and bladder control and a "sense of self-control without loss of self esteem."
From this emerges a sense of autonomy and pride, and the lasting ego quality of WILL
POWER, the determination to use free choice and self-restraint. Unsuccessful resolution
of this stage will lead to lifelong feelings of shame and doubt.
Initiative vs. Guilt (stage 3) 3-5 - ✔✔During the play age (3-5), increased locomotor
mastery (walking and running) gives the child a wider radius of goals. In addition,
language skills add to the ability to imagine "so many things he cannot avoid
frightening himself with what he himself has created and thought up." The Oedipal
wishes and the ambivalent feelings that accompany them must be repressed in order to
temporarily mask the initiative toward the opposite sex parent. While this initiative is a
prerequisite for masculine and feminine behaviors later in life, it is now repressed of
necessity-in order to avoid the guilt that would accompany knowledge of incestuous
thoughts. Parents assist the child in learning appropriate roles, including gender roles,
as the child diverts the sexual drive into acceptable activities. At this point conscience,
or superego, becomes established to govern the initiative. Proper resolution of this stage
leads to a lasting ego quality of purpose, the courage to pursue goals. Unsuccessful
resolution leads to feeling of shame.
Industry vs. Inferiority (stage 4) 6-12 - ✔✔The child now enters the school age (6-12)
and is enmeshed in the "world" of school and opportunities for new types of mastery.
As children develop their abilities in new skills and tasks, they desire recognition
gained from producing things. Through this, they develop a sense of industry and a
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, lasting ego quality of competence. Unsuccessful resolution of this stage leads to life long
feelings of inferiority and inadequacy.
Identity vs. Role Confusion (stage 5) 12-18 - ✔✔As the child approaches adolescence
(12-18 or so), physical and hormonal changes mark the beginning of puberty. Rapid
growth and physical genital maturity disrupt the earlier continuity of childhood. This
stage is perhaps the most important for Erikson, as the adolescent must now forge a
lasting ego identity through aligning his or her basic dries, endowments, and
opportunities. A sense of ego identity is "the accrued confidence that ones ability to
maintain inner sameness and continuity...is matched by the sameness and continuity of
ones meaning for others. Thus, self-esteem grows to be a conviction that one is learning
effective steps toward a tangible future, that one is developing a defined personality
within a social reality which one understands. As the adolescent struggles to integrate
past and future views of self and begins to define new appropriate sex roles, an identity
crisis may emerge from this confusion. New expectations from parents may add to this
stress. Tolerance, understanding, and guidance in the home can assist the adolescent in
achieving an integrated identity. Unsuccessful resolution can result in either role
confusion or identity diffusion, a state in which the individual is left with strong doubts
about who he or she "is." This may lead to delinquency, psychotic incidents, or over-
identification with others. Youths who emerge with a strong sense of identity and
individuality gain a lasting ego quality of fidelity or freely pledges loyalties.
Intimacy vs. Isolation (stage 6) (early to late 20s) - ✔✔Young adulthood (early to late
20s) brings an end to the years of childhood and youth. It is now time for choosing a
career, socializing with the opposite sex, and eventually marriage and raising a family.
Interpersonal intimacy is the task of this stage, encompassing both psychological and
sexual intimacy. Failure to achieve intimacy leads to isolation, an inability to develop
intimate and meaningful relationship. The person who cannot be intimate will likely be
© EMILY CHARLENE YEAR 2025-2026, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
