Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical Practice Exam

The correct answer is that a client struggling with identity after their children leave home is experiencing the stage of generativity versus stagnation. This stage, as defined by Erik Erikson, typically occurs during middle adulthood, when individuals often reflect on the contributions they have made to society, the lives of others, and the legacy they wish to leave behind.

When children leave home, parents may face an identity shift, finding themselves in a position where they must reassess their roles and contributions, which can lead to feelings of either generativity—creating and nurturing things that will outlast them—or stagnation, where they may feel unproductive or disconnected from the next generation. This struggle is directly tied to their sense of purpose and identity at this stage of life, as they move from being parents to redefining their personal and familial identities.

The other stages do not align with the specific situation at hand. Industry versus inferiority relates to children's experiences in school and is focused on developing competence. Initiative versus guilt addresses early childhood development and the balance between taking initiative and experiencing guilt over misdeeds. Intimacy versus isolation is related to forming intimate relationships and generally occurs in young adulthood, before the major transitions that come later in life related to children leaving home.