What can result if a child does not succeed in any of the psychosexual stages?

When a child does not succeed in any of the psychosexual stages, it can lead to the development of adult traits associated with that stage. According to Freudian theory, each of the psychosexual stages—oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital—should be successfully navigated for healthy psychological development. If a child experiences fixation at a certain stage due to unresolved conflicts or frustrations, they may carry traits and tendencies from that stage into adulthood.

For example, unresolved issues during the oral stage might manifest later as dependency or overindulgence in oral activities, while difficulties in the anal stage could result in traits related to orderliness or messiness. Thus, rather than fostering a stable personality or enhancing social interactions, an inability to navigate these stages often leads to the expression of neurotic behaviors and characteristics linked to those developmental periods. This aligns with the understanding of how unresolved psychosexual issues can significantly impact personality development in adulthood.