Final answer:
True, in psychosocial theory, integrity refers to the late adulthood phase in Erikson's stages of development where individuals strive to achieve a sense of fulfillment and the capacity to face death without great fear. The challenge for older people, according to Erikson, is overcoming despair to reach integrity, allowing them to review their lives positively and prepare for death peacefully.
Step-by-step explanation:
In psychosocial theory, the concept of integrity, especially in Erik Erikson's developmental stages, refers to the late adulthood phase where the critical challenge is to develop integrity as opposed to succumbing to despair. This is indeed true as per the description of Erikson's final stage of psychosocial development: integrity versus despair. Here, individuals reflect upon their lives, and those who are successful at this stage achieve integrity, leading to a life review that is filled with a sense of fulfillment and the capacity to face death with equanimity.
The contrast is with those who do not successfully navigate this stage, who may then face their later years and the prospect of death with regret, bitterness, and despair. In your options provided, the correct choice is a. Overcoming despair to achieve integrity, as it directly relates to the challenge that older people face in Erikson's final developmental stage.
Additionally, psychological theories like Kübler-Ross's Five Stages of Grief do support the idea that individuals can reach a stage of acceptance regarding their own mortality, which is consistent with Erikson's notion of integrity wherein individuals attain peace with their life's journey and impending death.