Environment adversity Flashcards
(13 cards)
What are the 4 primary acts of child maltreatment?
Physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, emotional abuse.
Neglect most common
Maltreatment has a high degree of multi-finality.
How does maltreatment have a high degree of multi-finality?
Maltreatment has negative effects on every domain of development and substantially increases risk for virtually every DSM disorder.
What is neuroplasticity?
Brain’s ability to adapt and change its structure, function, or connections in response to internal or external stimuli.
Brain can adapt or change because of maltreatment.
What is the hindbrain?
Most primitive, least complex, and develops first.
What is the cerebral cortex (prefrontal)?
Develops last and controls higher-order processes, memory, thought, language, judgement, awareness, etc.
What is the limbic system?
Emotional center of the brain.
What happens to a part of the brain if it does not receive appropriate stimulation at the right time due to neglect?
It will NOT develop correctly.
Ex. Romanian Orphans
Parts of their brains did not develop properly because they did not get enough stimulation and care at the right time, leading to long-term problems with thinking, emotions, and behavior.
The longer the children were in Romania, the more difficulties… even after a decade with supportive adoptive families.
Where do we see abuse and trauma?
In stress response
What is the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis?
The body’s central stress response system.
Stress > hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
CRH signals pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
ACTH travels through bloodstream to adrenal glands > release cortisol
Cortisol helps body respond to stress by keeping body alert. Follows a DIURNAL pattern = high in morning, lowest in night/bedtime.
Romanian orphans lack normal DIURNAL cortisol patterns.
Who else does not have normal diurnal patterns?
Children in foster care, children who lost parents on 9/11, children whose parents died by suicide, children with depressed parents, children in poverty, adults with depression, PTSD, anorexia, histories of child sexual abuse.
What is the most consistent biological risks for psychopathology?
Abnormal cortisol patterns (HPA axis dysregulation)
What are treatments called that have been proven to reduce psychopathology?
Empirically supported
How is intervention truly effective?
Behavioral change and biological change
