Which stage involves leaving home and differentiating self from family of origin?

• A. Stage 1
• B. Stage 2
• C. Stage 3
• D. Stage 4

Answer: (B)

Differentiating from the family of origin and establishing autonomy is the task at hand. In this phase, the individual begins to separate emotionally and functionally from parents, testing independence, setting personal boundaries, and forming a sense of self that isn’t defined by the family they grew up in. Leaving home is a concrete step in this process, and it marks the move toward living independently, making independent choices, and taking responsibility for one’s own life. This foundational shift—developing autonomy while maintaining appropriate emotional connections—sets up the later development of forming a separate couple and eventually managing a family of one’s own. Other stages focus more on maintaining the original family system, creating a new dyadic unit, or managing parenting responsibilities, rather than the essential initial separation and self-differentiation from the family of origin.