DISORDERS OF CHILDHOOD
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Salient, age-related issues of development
1. Dynamic appreciation of children’s strengths and weaknesses as they experience
salient, age-related challenges
2. Individual, familial, ethnic, cultural, societal beliefs about desirable vs undesirable
outcomes (= definitions of normality)
Stage in life Major issue Additional issues
Infancy Formation of an effective Basic state and arousal regulation
attachment Development of reciprocity
Dyadic regulation of emotion
Toddler period Guided self-regulation Increased autonomy
Increased awareness of self and
others
Awareness of standard for
behavior
Self-conscious emotions
Preschool Self-regulation Self-reliance with support (agency)
period Self-management
Expanding social world
Internalization of rules and values
School years Competence Personal efficacy
Self-integration
Competence with peers
Competence in school
Adolescence Individuation Autonomy with connectedness
Identity
Peer network competence
Coordinating school, work and
social life
Transition to Emancipation Launching a life course
adulthood Financial responsibility
Adult social competence
Coordinating work, training, career
and life
Common descriptions of normality and psychopathology often focus on:
1. Statistical deviance, the infrequency of certain emotions, cognitions, and/or
behaviors > how differently the person feels/thinks/acts compared to others
2. Sociocultural norms, the beliefs and expectations—in a given time or place or of a
group of people—about what kinds of emotions, cognitions, and/or behaviors are
problematic, undesirable, or unacceptable > how the person is expected to
think/feel/act
3. Mental health definitions, theoretical or clinically based notions of distress and
dysfunction > what experts consider as mental health/illness
1
,Defining and identifying disorders depends on value judgments. The role of values is
observed in definitions that focus on statistical deviance, sociocultural norms, and mental
health perspectives. Values also influence our understanding of poor adaptation, adequate
adaptation, and optimal adaptation.
The essential needs of children
The need for ongoing nurturing relationships
The need for physical protection, safety and regulation
The need for experiences tailored to individual differences
The need for developmentally appropriate experiences
The need for limit setting, structure and expectations
The need for stable, supportive communities and cultural continuity
Maladaptive = those that stop you from adapting to new of difficult circumstances
Psychopathology = intense, frequent and/or persistent maladaptive patterns of emotions,
cognition and behavior
Developmental psychopathology = emphasize that these intense, frequent and/or
persistent maladaptive patterns of emotion, cognition and behavior occur in the context of
typical development and result in the current and potential impairment of infants, children and
adolescents.
Estimating rates of disorders in children and adolescents includes:
1. Identifying children who experience distress and dysfunction
2. Calculating levels of general categories of disorders and specific subtypes of
disorders
3. Tracking changing trends in various rates of disorders (like ASD or depression)
Developmental epidemiology = focus on the frequencies and patterns of disorders in
children and adolescents.
Prevalence = all current cases of a set of disorders
Incidence = the number of new cases in a given time period
Many children experiencing distress and dysfunction are not identified or diagnosed. Many
children who are diagnosed are not able to access mental health services.
Barriers to care = factors that impede access to mental health services including structural
barriers such as lack of provider availability, inconveniently located services, transportation
difficulties etcetera.
Stigmatization = negative attitudes (such as blaming or overconcern with dangerousness),
emotions (such as shame, fear or pity) and behaviors (such as ridicule or isolation) related to
psychopathology and mental illness.
CHAPTER 2 MODELS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT,
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT
2
,Dimensional models of psychopathology = emphasize the ways in which typical feelings,
thoughts and behaviors gradually become more serious problems, which then may intensify
and become clinically diagnosable disorders. It is continuous or quantitative.
Categorical models of psychopathology = emphasize discrete and qualitative differences
in individual patterns of emotion, cognition and behavior. There is a clear distinction between
what is normal and what is not. Sometimes they call it discontinue or qualitative.
Models of psychopathology
Physiological models emphasize biological processes such as genes and neurological
systems as being at the core of human experience. This model explains the development of
psychopathology, its course and its treatment in terms of biological factors > a few disorders
are innately related to damage of dysfunction (e.g. intellectual developmental disorder).
There is a collaboration between child and caregiver in co-construction of the brain.
Adaptation of children embedded in specific environments
Treatment focuses on physiological processes (e.g. medication)
Connectome = the system of neural pathways often represented as a map of the brain’s
neural connections
Sensitive (or critical) periods = spans of time when environments have especially powerful
and enduring impacts
Neural plasticity = the ability of the
brain to flexibly respond to
physiological and environmental
challenged and insults > brain
development, organization and
reorganization. It helps overcome
earlier adversity
3
, Differences between typically vs atypically developing kids, but also within groups of
typically developing kids
Genotype = the complete set of genetic material of an organism. The genetic makeup of a
cell, an organism or an individual
Phenotype = the observable characteristics of an individual
Genes interact with environment over time. Environment influences gene expression and
activation (experiences become biologically embedded).
Behavior genetics = the study of the joint effect of genes and environments
Molecular genetics = the study of how differences in the structure or expression of DNS
molecules results in variation
Risk alleles = genetic variants that impair general processes (e.g. cognitive of emotion
functions) across many disorders.
Polygenic models emphasize the well-established findings that many gens have small effects
and attempt to account for the multiple types of genetic variations and processes that
influence the development of both mild and severe forms of disorders.
Diathesis-stress model that emphasizes the combination of underlying predispositions (risk
factors related to e.g. structural abnormalities or early occurring trauma) and additional
factors (such as further physiological or environmental events) that lead to the development
of psychopathology.
Differential susceptibility = the hypothesis that some individuals are more susceptible that
others to both negative (risk-promoting) and positive (development-enhancing)
environmental conditions.
Psychodynamic models emphasize unconscious cognitive and emotional processes.
Mental representations of self, other and relationships. The meaningfulness of subjective
experiences. And a developmental framework/perspective. > Freud. Unconscious processes
influence development. Conflicts among processes and structures of the mind. Ego needs to
comprise between de superego and de ID. Psychopathology is fixation and regression to
prior developmental stages
4
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Salient, age-related issues of development
1. Dynamic appreciation of children’s strengths and weaknesses as they experience
salient, age-related challenges
2. Individual, familial, ethnic, cultural, societal beliefs about desirable vs undesirable
outcomes (= definitions of normality)
Stage in life Major issue Additional issues
Infancy Formation of an effective Basic state and arousal regulation
attachment Development of reciprocity
Dyadic regulation of emotion
Toddler period Guided self-regulation Increased autonomy
Increased awareness of self and
others
Awareness of standard for
behavior
Self-conscious emotions
Preschool Self-regulation Self-reliance with support (agency)
period Self-management
Expanding social world
Internalization of rules and values
School years Competence Personal efficacy
Self-integration
Competence with peers
Competence in school
Adolescence Individuation Autonomy with connectedness
Identity
Peer network competence
Coordinating school, work and
social life
Transition to Emancipation Launching a life course
adulthood Financial responsibility
Adult social competence
Coordinating work, training, career
and life
Common descriptions of normality and psychopathology often focus on:
1. Statistical deviance, the infrequency of certain emotions, cognitions, and/or
behaviors > how differently the person feels/thinks/acts compared to others
2. Sociocultural norms, the beliefs and expectations—in a given time or place or of a
group of people—about what kinds of emotions, cognitions, and/or behaviors are
problematic, undesirable, or unacceptable > how the person is expected to
think/feel/act
3. Mental health definitions, theoretical or clinically based notions of distress and
dysfunction > what experts consider as mental health/illness
1
,Defining and identifying disorders depends on value judgments. The role of values is
observed in definitions that focus on statistical deviance, sociocultural norms, and mental
health perspectives. Values also influence our understanding of poor adaptation, adequate
adaptation, and optimal adaptation.
The essential needs of children
The need for ongoing nurturing relationships
The need for physical protection, safety and regulation
The need for experiences tailored to individual differences
The need for developmentally appropriate experiences
The need for limit setting, structure and expectations
The need for stable, supportive communities and cultural continuity
Maladaptive = those that stop you from adapting to new of difficult circumstances
Psychopathology = intense, frequent and/or persistent maladaptive patterns of emotions,
cognition and behavior
Developmental psychopathology = emphasize that these intense, frequent and/or
persistent maladaptive patterns of emotion, cognition and behavior occur in the context of
typical development and result in the current and potential impairment of infants, children and
adolescents.
Estimating rates of disorders in children and adolescents includes:
1. Identifying children who experience distress and dysfunction
2. Calculating levels of general categories of disorders and specific subtypes of
disorders
3. Tracking changing trends in various rates of disorders (like ASD or depression)
Developmental epidemiology = focus on the frequencies and patterns of disorders in
children and adolescents.
Prevalence = all current cases of a set of disorders
Incidence = the number of new cases in a given time period
Many children experiencing distress and dysfunction are not identified or diagnosed. Many
children who are diagnosed are not able to access mental health services.
Barriers to care = factors that impede access to mental health services including structural
barriers such as lack of provider availability, inconveniently located services, transportation
difficulties etcetera.
Stigmatization = negative attitudes (such as blaming or overconcern with dangerousness),
emotions (such as shame, fear or pity) and behaviors (such as ridicule or isolation) related to
psychopathology and mental illness.
CHAPTER 2 MODELS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT,
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT
2
,Dimensional models of psychopathology = emphasize the ways in which typical feelings,
thoughts and behaviors gradually become more serious problems, which then may intensify
and become clinically diagnosable disorders. It is continuous or quantitative.
Categorical models of psychopathology = emphasize discrete and qualitative differences
in individual patterns of emotion, cognition and behavior. There is a clear distinction between
what is normal and what is not. Sometimes they call it discontinue or qualitative.
Models of psychopathology
Physiological models emphasize biological processes such as genes and neurological
systems as being at the core of human experience. This model explains the development of
psychopathology, its course and its treatment in terms of biological factors > a few disorders
are innately related to damage of dysfunction (e.g. intellectual developmental disorder).
There is a collaboration between child and caregiver in co-construction of the brain.
Adaptation of children embedded in specific environments
Treatment focuses on physiological processes (e.g. medication)
Connectome = the system of neural pathways often represented as a map of the brain’s
neural connections
Sensitive (or critical) periods = spans of time when environments have especially powerful
and enduring impacts
Neural plasticity = the ability of the
brain to flexibly respond to
physiological and environmental
challenged and insults > brain
development, organization and
reorganization. It helps overcome
earlier adversity
3
, Differences between typically vs atypically developing kids, but also within groups of
typically developing kids
Genotype = the complete set of genetic material of an organism. The genetic makeup of a
cell, an organism or an individual
Phenotype = the observable characteristics of an individual
Genes interact with environment over time. Environment influences gene expression and
activation (experiences become biologically embedded).
Behavior genetics = the study of the joint effect of genes and environments
Molecular genetics = the study of how differences in the structure or expression of DNS
molecules results in variation
Risk alleles = genetic variants that impair general processes (e.g. cognitive of emotion
functions) across many disorders.
Polygenic models emphasize the well-established findings that many gens have small effects
and attempt to account for the multiple types of genetic variations and processes that
influence the development of both mild and severe forms of disorders.
Diathesis-stress model that emphasizes the combination of underlying predispositions (risk
factors related to e.g. structural abnormalities or early occurring trauma) and additional
factors (such as further physiological or environmental events) that lead to the development
of psychopathology.
Differential susceptibility = the hypothesis that some individuals are more susceptible that
others to both negative (risk-promoting) and positive (development-enhancing)
environmental conditions.
Psychodynamic models emphasize unconscious cognitive and emotional processes.
Mental representations of self, other and relationships. The meaningfulness of subjective
experiences. And a developmental framework/perspective. > Freud. Unconscious processes
influence development. Conflicts among processes and structures of the mind. Ego needs to
comprise between de superego and de ID. Psychopathology is fixation and regression to
prior developmental stages
4
