Please read the following case study and answer the questions to the best of your ability.

During her adolescence in the 1940s in Little Rock, Arkansas, Agnes was unpredictable and impulsive but in ways that were typical for her age. She worried about her appearance and always considered herself to be overweight, although she was one of the popular girls in high school. In addition to being a good student who mostly got good grades, she often got lead roles in the school play, participated in the cheerleading squad, and was prom queen in her last year in school.

Agnes, though, was always riddled with self-doubt about her achievements and popularity. Instead of going to college, she chose to volunteer for a cause and wait tables in a neighborhood restaurant where, over the months, she felt she had found her calling. She decided to be a restaurateur or at least a chef with an ambition to make it big. Hoping to become a famous chef or restauranteur, she enrolled at a school of culinary arts where she met Terrence, a young established restaurateur. The two of them dated for a year and then married.

Agnes dropped out of school as soon as she found out she was pregnant. Terrence was a traditional, patriarchal man of the house and he expected her to devote her time to raising the children and keeping the house. Agnes raised four children, all of whom went on to be university graduates. Today, Agnes, now 71, is plagued with regrets about the friendships she lost over the years due to her decision to invest all of her time in her family. She also regrets passing up opportunities to pursue a career or to even develop hobbies, especially since she now understands effective ways of establishing worklife balance. If she could do it all over again, she would be more assertive and tell Terrence that she needed to have a career and pursue friendships and interests outside of their relationship.

1. What is ego integrity? Explore whether Agnes has achieved it.

2. If Agnes asked for your advice regarding how she needs to view her present and what changes she may make in her life, what would you tell her?

3. Explain the core struggle for integrity versus despair, describing the thinking among those it affects. Is Agnes leaning more toward despair?