Developmental Psycopathology & Behavioral Disorders

Question 1

What is developmental psychopathology?

Answer 1

Interdisciplinary approach to understanding processes and pathways to typical & atypical development
Integrates developmental science and psychopathology
Focus on complex interplay of factors affecting dynamic processes of development

Question 2

Why should we use a developmental approach?

Answer 2

Disorders have different ages of onset
Is behaviour normal for stage of development/ environmental setting

Question 3

What are the causal factors in developmental psychopathology?

Answer 3

Biological, psychological, socio-environmental - multiple levels of analysis

Question 4

What is equifinality?

Answer 4

Variety of developmental pathways may lead to a particular outcome

Question 5

What is multifinality?

Answer 5

Particular adverse event may not lead to the same outcome in every individual - can act as a protective factor

Question 6

What is the function of developmental trajectories?

Answer 6

Help understand outcomes, risk factors, reaction to interventions
Change as function of age/ other factors

Question 7

What is homotypic continuity?

Answer 7

Same symptom continue following developmental transition (anxiety -> anxiety)

Question 8

What is heterotypic continuity?

Answer 8

Symptoms at 1 developmental period predict different set of symptoms following developmental transition (anxiety -> depression)

Question 9

What is the difference between a risk and protective factor?

Answer 9

Risk - variable/ condition associated with an increased risk/ chance of disorder
Protective - variable/ condition associated with lower risk/ chance of disorder

Question 10

What is the 3rd variable effect?

Answer 10

2 variables are caused by a 3rd variable

Question 11

What is cause and effect?

Answer 11

Cause is an agent that modifies health

Question 12

What is a mechanism?

Answer 12

Sequence of events, conditions or processes that lead from X to Y

Question 13

What is a developmental cascade?

Answer 13

Cumulative consequences on development
Within/ across domains
Can be direct, indirect, unidirectional, bidirectional, interaction effects

Question 14

What is antisocial behaviour?

Answer 14

Multidisciplinary construct
Public view is anatisocial behaviour is socially unacceptable
Any aggressive/ intimidating/ destructive activity damaging/ destroying another’s QoL

Question 15

What is the psychological perspective on antisocial behaviour?

Answer 15

Heterogeneous disorder - range of behaviours, persistence over time, severity of symptoms

Question 16

What is oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)?

Answer 16

Angry/ irritable mode
Argumentative, defiant behavior
Vindictiveness
Prevalence 1-11%
Emotional response

Question 17

What is conduct disorder (CD)?

Answer 17

Aggression to people & animals
Destruction of property
Deceitfulness/ theft
Serious violation of rules
Prevalence 2-10%
More behavioural

Question 18

What are the different onsets for CD?

Answer 18

Childhood onset (<10yrs) - typically male, more severe symptoms with worse outcomes
Adolescent onset (>10yrs) - normative relationships , better outcomes
Unspecified onset

Question 19

What is a specifier of CD?

Answer 19

Limited prosocial emotions - callous unemotional traits

Question 20

What is Moffitts taxonomy?

Answer 20

2 distinct categories
Adolescence limited - larger group, antisocial behavior only in adolescence
Life course persistent - small group antisocial behaviour across life
Unique aetiology, prognosis and course

Question 21

What is the Dunedin multidisciplinary study?

Answer 21

457 males longitudinally from 3-18yrs
LCP = significantly more difficult temperament
Groups didn’t differ on police contacts, court convictions during adolescence, however did differ on violent convictions (LCP>AL)

Question 22

What are high risk background factors?

Answer 22

Poor parenting
Neurocognitive problems
Temperament/ behaviour problems

Question 23

What are differences between LCP & AL groups in adulthood?

Answer 23

LCP - elevated psychopathic personality traits, mental health problems, substance dependence, number of children, financial & work problems, drug & violent crimes
AL - less extreme, elevated impulse traits, mental health problems, substance dependence, financial problems & property offences

Question 24

What predicts early onset?

Answer 24

Maternal anxiety during pregnancy, partner cruelty to mother, harsh parenting and under controlled temperament

Question 25

What is the Minnesota twin family study (Taylor et al, 2000)?

Answer 25

Early starters = more psychological, behavioural & emotional problems related to inhibition than late & controls
Greater genetic influence on early onset than late onset delinquency
Developmental hyperactivity, emotional difficulties, peer relationship problems & prosocial emotion problems mirrored conduct problems

Question 26

What are the oppositionality dimensions?

Answer 26

Irritability
Headstorngness
Hurtfulness (2 dimensional - irritability/ negative affect & oppositionality)

Question 27

What is the predictive validity for each oppositionality dimension?

Answer 27

Irritability - emotional/ internalising difficulties (anxiety & depression)
Headstrongness - delinquency/ CD & callous attitudes (ADHD)
Hurtfulness - CD/ aggressive behaviours