Lecture 1
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Mental Illness:
→ Disturbances of behaviour, feelings and thoughts
1. FROM NORMAL TO ABNORMAL
Definitions of Normal as:
Normal Abnormal
1. Absence of disorders positive quality of life negative quality of life
good functioning poor functioning
free of disabling symptoms symptoms forming a syndrome
Mental health perspective (P&T):
"four Ds": Dysfunction, Distress,
Deviance, Danger
→ the more of theses “Ds” the more
a mental health professional would
consider someone “abnormal”
behavior that occurs in the behavior that occurs in a minority of
2. Statistical average majority of the population the population
→ Statistical deviance (P&T)
social-cultural standards of not meeting those standards
3. Ideal or desired state healthy psychological → Sociocultural norms (P&T)
Development
→ age-related,
gender-specific,
culture-relevant
, successful adaptation poor adaptation
4. Successful adaptation (adequate or optimal)
Adaptation: ability of a person to → one can deal effectively with
adapt to his or her environment possibilities and difficulties that
arise in everyday life
Previous Context Examples:
→ Different classification of “normal” and “abnormal”
Disclaimer of the Definitions:
1. In some situations, clear distinction between normal and abnormal
→ Usually large gray area: depending on observer, instrument and situation
2. Knowledge of normal development required
_________________________________________________________________________
Psychopathology:
→ intense, frequent, persistent maladaptive emotion, cognition, behavior
Developmental Psychopathology
→ Maladaptive patterns that occur within typical development
→ Results in impairment for children and adolescents
Concepts: delay, fixation, deviance
,Example of typical developmental states:
Epidemiology
→ Research into frequencies and patterns of disorders
Prevalence
→ Proportion of a population with disorder (current cases)
Incidence
→ new cases that arise over time
Kessler et al. (2005)
● Median onset: anxiety & impulse-control = 11 years
● Substance use = 20 years,
● Mood disorders = 30 years
, → Half of cases start by age 14, three-fourths by 24
Stigma
→ Stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination
Multiple Levels: public, personal, self-stigma
→ Can be harmful and prevent help-seeking
● Media examples: Black Swan, 13 Reasons Why
● Mental health conditions in film & TV
Access to Mental Health Care
→ Children that need help: only 20% receive formal help, 35% get informal support
Barriers:
1. Perceptions of mental health and child welfare (e.g., lack of confidence in the system,
previous negative experiences, stigma)
2. Perceptions of psychological problems (e.g., denial, beliefs that difficulties resolve
over time)
3. Structural (e.g., long waiting lists, high personal cost)
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Mental Illness:
→ Disturbances of behaviour, feelings and thoughts
1. FROM NORMAL TO ABNORMAL
Definitions of Normal as:
Normal Abnormal
1. Absence of disorders positive quality of life negative quality of life
good functioning poor functioning
free of disabling symptoms symptoms forming a syndrome
Mental health perspective (P&T):
"four Ds": Dysfunction, Distress,
Deviance, Danger
→ the more of theses “Ds” the more
a mental health professional would
consider someone “abnormal”
behavior that occurs in the behavior that occurs in a minority of
2. Statistical average majority of the population the population
→ Statistical deviance (P&T)
social-cultural standards of not meeting those standards
3. Ideal or desired state healthy psychological → Sociocultural norms (P&T)
Development
→ age-related,
gender-specific,
culture-relevant
, successful adaptation poor adaptation
4. Successful adaptation (adequate or optimal)
Adaptation: ability of a person to → one can deal effectively with
adapt to his or her environment possibilities and difficulties that
arise in everyday life
Previous Context Examples:
→ Different classification of “normal” and “abnormal”
Disclaimer of the Definitions:
1. In some situations, clear distinction between normal and abnormal
→ Usually large gray area: depending on observer, instrument and situation
2. Knowledge of normal development required
_________________________________________________________________________
Psychopathology:
→ intense, frequent, persistent maladaptive emotion, cognition, behavior
Developmental Psychopathology
→ Maladaptive patterns that occur within typical development
→ Results in impairment for children and adolescents
Concepts: delay, fixation, deviance
,Example of typical developmental states:
Epidemiology
→ Research into frequencies and patterns of disorders
Prevalence
→ Proportion of a population with disorder (current cases)
Incidence
→ new cases that arise over time
Kessler et al. (2005)
● Median onset: anxiety & impulse-control = 11 years
● Substance use = 20 years,
● Mood disorders = 30 years
, → Half of cases start by age 14, three-fourths by 24
Stigma
→ Stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination
Multiple Levels: public, personal, self-stigma
→ Can be harmful and prevent help-seeking
● Media examples: Black Swan, 13 Reasons Why
● Mental health conditions in film & TV
Access to Mental Health Care
→ Children that need help: only 20% receive formal help, 35% get informal support
Barriers:
1. Perceptions of mental health and child welfare (e.g., lack of confidence in the system,
previous negative experiences, stigma)
2. Perceptions of psychological problems (e.g., denial, beliefs that difficulties resolve
over time)
3. Structural (e.g., long waiting lists, high personal cost)
