ASWB LCSW Social Work Clinical Practice Exam

When do sexual urges return according to Freud?

1. At birth

2. During the anal stage

3. At puberty

4. Throughout the latency stage

The correct answer is: At puberty

Freud posits that sexual urges return with a focus during the psychosexual development process, particularly during puberty. This stage marks the onset of adolescence, when individuals begin to experience a resurgence of sexual feelings and desires, transitioning from the latency stage—where these urges are typically suppressed and redirected towards other activities—to a time when sexual identity and expression become significant aspects of development. While the latency stage, which occurs after the phallic stage and lasts until puberty, is characterized by a relative calm regarding sexual urges, it is specifically at puberty that these feelings resurface, leading to a renewed interest in sexual relationships and the exploration of one's own sexual identity. The analogy of Freud’s psychosexual stages demonstrates how the development of human sexuality is progressive and becomes increasingly complex as one matures.