Normal or Concerning?
A 7-year-old feels nervous before a spelling test but settles once it starts.
Normal developmental anxiety.
Erikson’s primary psychosocial task in middle childhood is:
Industry vs. Inferiority.
True or False: Children in middle childhood often blame themselves for family problems.
True.
Name one developmentally appropriate counseling tool for this age group.
Drawing, play, storytelling, scaling, games, visuals.
A child says, “I’m dumb.” Name one developmentally appropriate response.
Normalize feelings, reframe strengths, validate effort.
A 9-year-old has frequent stomachaches only on school mornings and begs to stay home.
Potentially concerning—possible anxiety or school avoidance.
Positive resolution of this stage leads to what core strength?
Competence.
Chronic stress most directly affects which child capacities?
Attention, emotional regulation, and learning.
A child says, “I’m just bad at everything.” What is the counselor listening for developmentally?
Inferiority and damaged self-concept.
A caregiver says, “They’re just lazy.” How might a counselor gently reframe?
Explore stress, skill gaps, or emotional overwhelm instead of character flaws.
An 11-year-old who once enjoyed school now refuses assignments, calls themselves “stupid,” and avoids peers for months.
Concerning—possible inferiority, depression, or anxiety.
A child who constantly compares themselves to classmates and gives up easily may be experiencing which side of Erikson’s stage?
Inferiority.
A child living with parental addiction may show which counseling-relevant pattern?
Hypervigilance, anxiety, people-pleasing, or emotional suppression.
When should caregivers be involved in counseling with children this age?
Almost always, in some capacity.
A child avoids school due to fear of failure. What’s a helpful counselor focus?
Coping skills, confidence-building, and gradual exposure.
A 10-year-old becomes very upset after losing a game but calms down within an hour.
Developmentally typical emotional regulation still forming.
How might untreated learning differences impact Erikson’s stage resolution?
Increase risk for chronic inferiority and shame.
How does trauma complicate Erikson’s Industry vs. Inferiority stage?
It disrupts safety and consistency needed to build competence.
What is one risk if counselors over-pathologize middle childhood behaviors?
Reinforcing shame and mislabeling developmentally normal stress.
A child shuts down in session. What might this signal developmentally?
Overwhelm, shame, or lack of felt safety.
A child shows perfectionism so intense they avoid starting tasks for fear of mistakes.
Concerning—maladaptive coping, not just high standards.
As counselors, what is one way we can actively support “industry” in sessions?
Strength-based feedback, achievable goals, mastery experiences, skill-building.
What is a developmentally appropriate first counseling goal for a stressed child?
Restore safety, predictability, and regulation—not insight.
What is a key difference between counseling middle childhood vs. adolescents?
Less abstract processing; more concrete, skill-based, and relational work.
Finish this sentence: “Before diagnosis, counselors should always assess __________.”
Developmental context and functioning.