Ace the 2025 Certified Prevention Specialist CPS Exam – Become a Prevention Pro!

The critical factor in a Youth Development Approach according to Erikson's stages is trust. In Erikson's framework, the initial stages of development focus heavily on the establishment of trust versus mistrust, which occurs in infancy. This foundational stage sets the tone for all subsequent stages of psychosocial development. If a child feels secure and has their basic needs met, they are likely to develop a sense of trust in their caregivers and their environment. This sense of trust is essential for healthy interpersonal relationships and is a building block for further stages such as autonomy, initiative, and identity formation.

The other factors like connection, confidence, and self-sufficiency are indeed important in adolescent development but build upon the foundational trust established in earlier stages. A child's ability to connect with others and to develop confidence is often predicated on the trust they've cultivated in their formative years. Trust is essential for creating a supportive environment, which facilitates healthy development and encourages young people to explore their identity and autonomy.