412 Chapter 1 Flashcards
(41 cards)
what are the main issues in child psychology
- defining normal/abnormal behaviour for various ages, sexes, cultural backgrounds
- causes and correlates
- predictions for long-term outcomes
- methods of treatment and prevention
- figuring out the ‘problem’ (children are referred by adults)
Victor of Aveyron
- Jean-Marc Itard took care of him after he had been living in the woods without socialization because he wanted to show that his neglect could be reversed - only small changes
- beginnings of understandings that early environments could contribute to mental disorders
John Locke
- started a philosophy of humane care and social protection (individual rights)
who contributed to a new philosophy of care for children?
- John Locke
- Jean-Marc Itard
- Leta Hollingworth: defective children were suffering from emotional/behavioural problems caused by bad treatment by adults
- Benjamin Rush: children are incapable of insanity because their brains are still underdeveloped
- Dorothea Dix: organic disease model, established humane mental hospitals for youths
- Clifford Beers: criticized ignorance and tried to disseminate reliable information based on the biological model
Freud’s renewed optimism in treatment
- tracing roots to early childhood
- both inborn drives and experiences affect child psychopathology (contrary to the popular view that it resides within a person)
- proper experiences/context can help treat
- incorporates developmental stages
psychological disorder
- pattern of cognitive, behavioural, emotional, physical symptoms
- causes distress, disability (interferes with daily functioning), distress and disability increase risk of harm
competence
child’s ability to adapt successfully within an environment
developmental competence
ability to use internal and external resources to achieve adaptation
developmental tasks
assessing competence in conduct and academic achievement
developmental tasks infancy to preschool
- attachment to caregiver
- language
- differentiation of the self from the environment
developmental tasks middle childhood
- Self-control, compliance
- School adjustment
- Academic achievement
- Getting along with peers
- Following rules, prosocial conduct
developmental tasks adolescence
- Transition to secondary
- Academic achievement
- Extracurriculars
- Close friendships within/across gender
- Cohesive self-identity
developmental pathway
- sequence and timing of behaviours and relationships between behaviours
- maltreatment can alter the initial course of development
multifinality
- similar beginning can lead to various outcomes
equifinality
- many different beginnings can lead to the same outcome
risk factor
precedes a negative outcome of interest and increases the chances that the negative outcome will occur
protective factor
- personal or situational variable that reduces the chances for child to develop a disorder
- strength of the individual, strength of the family, strength of the school and community
resilience
sustained competence while under stress or rebound to a previously healthy level of competence after a traumatic experience
poverty and SES disadvantage
- impairments in learning ability and school achievement
- affects the PFC: reduced impulse control and judgment
- greater inequality and powerlessness = greater impact on mental health
more common disorders in boys
hyperactivity, autism, childhood disruptive disorders, learning and communication disorders (more neurodevelopmental disorders with onset in childhood)
more common disorders in girls
anxiety, depression, eating disorders (emotional disorders with onset in adolescence)
externalizing problems
- acting-out (aggression and delinquent behaviour)
- higher prevalence in boys at a younger age, then decreases and converges with girls rates at age 18
internalizing problems
- anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms, withdrawn behaviour
- equal prevalence at an early age for boys and girls, then diverges to be higher for girls at age 18
resilience predictors in boys
- male role model, structure and rules, encouragement of emotional expression