ANSA Adult Development & Life Stages 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Disengagement theory, proposed by Cumming and Henry, suggests that successful aging involves:
- Increasing social participation to maintain well-being
- Mutual withdrawal between older adults and society (Correct answer)
- Adopting new roles to replace lost ones
- Selective engagement with high-value activities only
Correct answer: Mutual withdrawal between older adults and society
Disengagement theory proposes that aging involves a natural, mutual withdrawal between the individual and society as preparation for death.
Question 2: A 62-year-old client who recently retired reports high life satisfaction, strong friendships, and active volunteering. This outcome is BEST explained by which aging theory?
- Disengagement theory
- Activity theory (Correct answer)
- Continuity theory
- Socioemotional selectivity theory
Correct answer: Activity theory
Activity theory holds that continued social engagement and role replacement after role loss (such as retirement) leads to higher life satisfaction in older adults.
Question 3: Socioemotional selectivity theory (Carstensen) predicts that as adults age, they tend to:
- Expand their social networks to maximize new experiences
- Prioritize emotionally meaningful relationships over breadth of social contact (Correct answer)
- Disengage from all social relationships equally
- Focus on career achievement over personal relationships
Correct answer: Prioritize emotionally meaningful relationships over breadth of social contact
Carstensen's theory holds that awareness of limited time motivates older adults to invest in fewer, more emotionally meaningful relationships.
Question 4: In the ANSA, the 'life domain functioning' dimension would MOST appropriately capture which aspect of adult development?
- Neurological test scores
- An adult's ability to manage daily roles such as employment and family relationships (Correct answer)
- Childhood trauma history only
- Genetic predispositions to mental illness
Correct answer: An adult's ability to manage daily roles such as employment and family relationships
Life domain functioning in the ANSA captures how well an adult manages key social roles including work, family, and community participation.
Question 5: Which of the following is a PRIMARY characteristic that distinguishes middle adulthood from young adulthood in developmental psychology?
- First experience of identity exploration
- Increased concern with generativity and mentoring others (Correct answer)
- Initial formation of intimate relationships
- Emergence of formal operational thinking
Correct answer: Increased concern with generativity and mentoring others
Middle adulthood is characterized by generativity—the desire to guide, mentor, and contribute to future generations—which distinguishes it from young adulthood.
Question 6: When assessing an older adult using the ANSA, which factor MOST indicates resilience related to life stage transitions?
- Absence of any stressful life events
- Presence of adaptive coping strategies and social support (Correct answer)
- Complete withdrawal from previous social roles
- Denial of any physical or cognitive changes
Correct answer: Presence of adaptive coping strategies and social support
Resilience in older adults is most strongly indicated by adaptive coping strategies and robust social support networks, even in the face of significant life changes.
Question 7: A clinician using the ANSA notes a client in their late 60s is struggling with the loss of their occupational identity following retirement. This reflects which theoretical framework?
- Role theory — loss of a central role disrupts self-concept (Correct answer)
- Attachment theory — disrupted early bonding resurfaces
- Cognitive behavioral theory — maladaptive thinking patterns
- Biological maturation theory — physical decline drives distress
Correct answer: Role theory — loss of a central role disrupts self-concept
Role theory explains that occupational identity is a core social role, and its loss through retirement can significantly disrupt an individual's self-concept and well-being.
ANSA Adult Development & Life Stages 4
Disengagement theory, proposed by Cumming and Henry, suggests that successful aging involves: