Chapter 1- Introduction to Normal and Abnormal Behavior in Children and Adolescents Flashcards
Research studies in abnormal child psychology seek to: 4
- Define normal and abnormal behavior for children of different ages, sexes, and ethnic and cultural backgrounds
- Identify the cases and correlates of abnormal behavior
- Make predictions about long-term outcomes
- Develop and evaluate methods for treatment and/or prevention
What is the first step towards understanding the nature of children’s problems?
How you choose to describe the problems that children show, and what harm or impairments such problems may lead to
How do children usually enter the mental health system?
Due to concerns raised by adults - parents, teachers etc- children themselves have little choice in the matter
How are children and adolescent problems usually identified?
failure to show expected developmental progress
the problems that children face may be ___ like most types of bedwetting, or it may be ______
transitory
an initial indication of more severe problems ahead
What is the intention of interventions?
promote further development rather than merely to restore a previous level of functioning
Ancient Greek/Roman View
Early writings suggest that children were considered servants of the state in the city-states of early Greece
The disabled were a burden - scorned, abandoned, or put to death
Before the 18th Century
Children were subjected to harsh treatment and largely ignored
By end of 18th century
Interest in abnormal child behavior surfaced
The Church used its strong influence to attribute children’s unusual or disturbing behaviors to their inherently uncivilized and provocative nature
possession by the devil and similar forces of evil
children kept in cages and cellars
John Locke (17th century) believed…
children should be raised with thought and care, not indifference and harsh treatment
During the 17th century, because of John Locke…
philosophy of humane care and institutions of social protection began to take root
Jean-Marc Itard (19th century)
One of the first documented efforts to work with a special child was undertaken (Victor, discovered in woods)
Focused on the care, treatment, and training of “mental defectives”
Leta Hollingworth argued that many ___ children were actually suffering from _____ due to _____
mentally defective
emotional and behavioral problems
inept treatment by adults and lack of appropriate intellectual challenge
___ distinguished individuals with mental retardation (“imbeciles”) from those with psychiatric disorders (“lunatics”)
Leta Hollingworth
____ claimed that children were incapable of ___
Benjamin Rush
adult-like insanity
What were the 2 important influences that caused concern for the welfare of children with mental and behavioral disturbances
- Advances in general medicine
- Growing influence of the philosophies of Locke and others, led to the view that children needed moral guidance and support
What were the 2 important influences that caused concern for the welfare of children with mental and behavioral disturbances
- Advances in general medicine
- Growing influence of the philosophies of Locke and others, led to the view that children needed moral guidance and support
Dorothea Dix (1802–1887)
mid-nineteenth century established ____ for the treatment of troubled youths previously relegated to cellars and cages
32 humane mental hospitals
In the late 19th century mental illnesses were viewed as
biological problems
Whose efforts led to detection and intervention and believed that mental disorders were a form of disease
Clifford Beers
In the early 20th century, society reverted to the belief that
disorders could not be influenced by treatment or learning and there was a return of punishment of behaviors
Mental disorders viewed as ____ and led to
diseases
fear of contamination
what was implemented due to this fear
Eugenics (sterilization) and segregation (institutionalization)
Who was a part of Psychoanalytic Theory
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud was the first to
give meaning to the concept of mental disorder by linking it to childhood experiences
Sigmund Freud purported that mental disorders can be
helped with proper environment or therapy
What are nosologies
the efforts to classify psychiatric disorders into descriptive categories
When was there a rise in Behaviorism
Early 1900’s
Behaviorism laid the foundation for
evidence-based treatments
What is a key study in Behaviorism
Pavlov’s research on classical conditioning
little albert
What is a key study in Behaviorism
Watson’s studies on the elimination of children’s fears and the theory of emotions
evolving forms of treatment
which approach was most popular during 1930-50
psychodynamic
during 1930-50 most children with intellectual or mental disorders were _____
institutionalized
During the late 1940’s ___ studied ___
Spitz
harmful impact of institutional life
Spitz found that infants raised in institutions _____
without adult physical contact and stimulation developed severe physical and emotional problems
institutionalization decreased during what years
this caused what to increase
1945-65
Placement in foster care and group homes
evolving forms of treatment
which approach was most popular during 1950-60
behavior therapy emerged as a systematic approach to treatment of child and family disorders
what is behavior therapy based on
operant and classical conditioning principles established through laboratory work with animals
What is IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
What does IDEA require - 3
- Free and appropriate public education for children with special needs in the least restrictive environment
- Each child must be assessed with culturally appropriate tests
- An individualized education program (IEP) for each child
The UN adopted a convention to protect the rights of who
persons with disabilities
Childhood disorders are accompanied by ____
various layers of abnormal behavior or development
Layers of abnormal behavior- 3
- More visible and alarming (delinquent acts, physical assault)
- more subtle yet critical (teasing and peer rejection)
- more hidden and systematic (depression or parental rejection)
defining psychological disorders involves
Patterns of behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or physical symptoms
Patterns of behavioral, cognitive, emotional, or physical symptoms are link with -3
- Distress
- Disability
- Increased risk for further suffering or harm
what are 2 things that matter when diagnosing disorders
culture
circumstances
What is a stigma
cluster of negative attitudes and beliefs that motivates fear, rejection, avoidance, and discrimination with respect to people with mental illnesses
Stigma leads to
prejudice and discrimination against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, disabilities, sexual orientation, body size, biological sex, language, and religious beliefs
According to DSM-5 guidelines the primary purpose of using terms is to
help describe and organize complex features of behavior patterns
Developmental competence is reflected in the
child’s ability to use internal and external resources to achieve a successful adaptation
Abnormal child psychology considers - 2
- The degree of maladaptive behavior
- The extent to which normal developmental milestones are met
Knowledge of _____ provides important background information
developmental tasks
examples of developmental tasks in infancy to preschool - 3
- Attachment to caregivers
- Language
- Differentiation of self from environment
examples of developmental tasks in infancy to preschool - 3
- Attachment to caregivers
- Language
- Differentiation of self from environment
Examples of developmental tasks in middle childhood - 5
- Self-control and compliance
- School adjustment (attendance, appropriate conduct)
- Academic achievement (ex .learning to read, do math)
- Getting along with peers (acceptance, making friends)
- Rule-governed conduct (following rules of society for moral behavior and prosocial conduct)
Examples of developmental tasks in adolescence- 5
- Successful transition to secondary schooling
- Academic achievement (learning skills needed for higher education or work)
- Involvement in extracurricular activities (ex. Athletics, clubs)
- Forming close friendships within and across gender
- Forming a cohesive sense of self-identity
What are developmental pathways
The sequence and timing of particular behaviors as well as the relationships between behaviors over time
developmental pathways allow us to visualize development as an ___
active, dynamic process that can account for very different beginnings and outcomes
what are the 2 types of developmental pathways
- Multifinality
- Equifinality
What is Multifinality and example
Similar early experiences lead to different outcomes
example- early childhood maltreatment can lead to eating disorder, mood disorder, conduct disorder, normal adjutment
What is Equifinality
Different factors lead to a similar outcome
example- conduct disorder may be caused by earlier genetic pattern, family characteristics, environmental features
what are the key considerations in developmental pathways
there are many contributors to disordered outcomes in each child
Contributors vary among children who have the same disorder
Children express features of their disturbances in different ways
Pathways leading to particular disorders are numerous and interactive
what is a risk factor
examples
a variable that precedes a negative outcome of interest
chronic poverty, care-giving deficits, parental mental illness, death of a parent, disasters, and family breakup
what is a protective factor
personal or situational variables that mitigates a child developing a disorder
what is resilience and what is it associated with
The ability to fight off or recover from misfortune
strong self-confidence, coping skills, avoiding risk situations
what is resilience connected to
protective triad” of resources
Strength of the child
Strength of the family
Strength of the school/community
___ in 8 children has a mental health problem
1
by 2020 behavioral health disorders will surpass all
physical diseases as a major cause of disability throughout the world
mental health problems in childhood and adolescence are highly predictive of ___
adult disorders
6 out of 10 children who meet criteria for a common psychiatric disorder report major problems in young adulthood
A better ability to distinguish among disorders has led to ___
increased and earlier recognition of problems
Mental health problems are more likely in children from - 5
- From disadvantaged families
- From abusive or neglectful families
- Receiving inadequate child care
- Born with very low birth weight
- Whose parents have a mental illness or substance abuse problems
what can cause children to have an increased risk for development of disorder
New pressures and social changes
One in ___ children in the U.S. and one in ___ in Canada live in poverty
5
7
___ is expressed more directly by boys; expressed more indirectly by girls
aggression
Boys generally have higher rates of - 4
reading disorders
autism spectrum disorders
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
early-onset persistent conduct problems
Girls have higher rates of - 2
depression and eating disorders
what is higher in boys than girls in preschool and early elementary years
Externalizing Problems
Exhibited as acting-out behaviors, e.g., aggression and delinquency
Girls have a higher rate of ____ and is associated with -4
Internalizing Problems
Anxiety, depression, or withdrawn behavior
Somatic complaints
Eating disorders
Emotional disorders with peak age of onset in adolescence
Types of child rearing environments that predict resilience
For boys- 3
A male role model
Structure and rules
Encouragement of emotional expressiveness
Types of child rearing environments that predict resilience
for girls -1
Households that combine risk taking and independence with support from female caregiver
Minority children in the U.S. are _____ in rates of some disorders
overrepresented
what is culture and what does it affect
Values, beliefs, and practices that characterize a particular ethnocultural group
Contribute to development and expression of children’s disorders
Affect how people/institutions react to children’s problems
Affect how problems are expressed
more than _____ of 10- to 16-year-olds experience physical and/or sexual assaults
one third
LGBT youths in middle and high schools are more likely to be
victimized by their peers and family members
About 20% of children with the most chronic and serious disorders:
Are least likely to finish school
Are most likely to have social problems and psychiatric disorders
Children cannot ____
advocate on their own behalf
What is the best strategy in understanding abnormal child and adolescent psychology
Viewing the whole child
