What do "life tasks" refer to in Adlerian therapy?

In Adlerian therapy, "life tasks" specifically refer to the challenges individuals encounter in three essential areas of human experience: work, friendship, and love. These tasks represent the social and relational aspects of a person's life where they must navigate and establish their identity, develop skills, and interact with others in meaningful ways.

Understanding these life tasks is crucial in Adlerian therapy as they underscore the importance of social connections and communal living. Adler believed that fulfillment and mental health are closely tied to how effectively a person navigates these areas. Addressing and managing challenges in work, building and maintaining friendships, and fostering intimate relationships are deemed fundamental for achieving a person's ideal sense of self and community.

This focus illustrates the core Adlerian principle of social interest, which emphasizes cooperation and contribution to society as vital for personal well-being. The other options do not encapsulate the broader social and relational focus that life tasks hold within Adlerian principles. Material possessions, therapist assignments, and basic survival skills lack the depth of interpersonal engagement central to the understanding of life tasks in this therapeutic framework.