Lecture 7.1: Child Development and Communication Flashcards
Principles of Development (5)
- Influenced by both heredity and
environment - It takes place at different rates for
different parts of the organism - Development is continuous rather
than discrete - There is a great deal of variability
amongst individuals - Breaks in the continuity of
development will generally be due
to environmental factors
What is Attachment?
An affectional bond that a person feels for another
Types of Attachment
- Secure
- Insecure: Anxious & Avoidant
Multiple Attachment Model
- All attachments are important, not
just the primary attachment
Temperament Hypothesis
- Personality influences the type of
attachment
Attachment Theory
- Attachment theory is a
psychological, evolutionary and
ethological theory concerning
relationships between humans - The most important tenet is that
young children need to develop a
relationship with at least one
primary caregiver for normal social
and emotional development
Stage Theory of Cognitive Development (4)
- Sensory motor stage (birth–2 yrs)
- Pre-operational stage (2–7)
- Concrete operational stage (7–12)
- Formal operational stage (12+)
Stage Theory of Cognitive Development: Sensory Motor Stage (4)
- Sensory and motor skills used to
explore the environment - Experience is limited to the
immediate environment - Coordination and intentionality of
movement - Object permanence
Stage Theory of Cognitive Development: Pre-Operational Stage (6)
- Symbolic thinking
- Egocentricism
- Reasoning is not yet logical or
abstract - Mainly concrete and intuitive
- Classification is based on single
features - Difficulty in understanding
conservation
Stage Theory of Cognitive Development: Concrete Operational Stage (5)
- Logical reasoning ability
- Reasoning remains concrete rather
than abstract - Classification is based on multiple
features - Development of empathy
- Mastery of conservation
Stage Theory of Cognitive Development: Formal Operational Stage (3)
- Metacognition
- Introspection abilities
- Reasoning becomes abstract,
hypothetical, multi-dimensional and
systematic
Limitations of Standardising Children’s Development (4)
- Children’s abilities are
underestimated - Progress depends on factors other
than chronological age - Individual differences are not
considered - Understanding in some domains
may be more advanced than others
Through the Eyes of the Child: Pre-Operational Stage in regards to Illness (5)
- Explanations of illness are
egocentric, magical, circular and
phenomenological - Illness is perceived as a
punishment for real or imaginary
rule transgression - Children can hate clinicians
inflicting pain - Cannot see link between treatment
and relief of symptoms - Practitioners should provide
reassurance that illnesses or pains
are not punishments
Through the Eyes of the Child: Concrete Operational in regards to Illness (4)
- Increased awareness of body and
internal organs - Fear of total annihilation (body
destruction and death) - Illnesses are caused by
contamination or internalisation - Reassurance regarding fears of
bodily annihilation should be
provided
Through the Eyes of the Child: Formal Operational
Understanding in regards to Illness (3)
- Understanding of illnesses of
varying degrees - Have proportionate reaction to the
diagnosed illness - Ability to comprehend treatment
Language Development in Children (5 Stages)
- 6 months: Babbling
- 12 months: First Words
- 2 years: Incomplete Sentences
- 3 years: Complete Sentences
- 5 years: Complex Sentences
Theories of Language Development (3)
- Nativism/Nature (innate language
acquisition device) - Behaviourism/Nurture
(reinforcement, social learning and
observational) - Interactionism/Nature&Nurture (a
combination of innate and.
environmental factors)
Theory of Mind (ToM)
- The ability to attribute mental states
to oneself and others - Understanding that others can have
different mental states to our own
Different ToM Levels: Zero-Order
- No theory about the mental states
of others
Different ToM Levels: First-Order
- A theory about the mental states of
another person
Different ToM Levels: Second-Order
- A theory about what one person
thinks about the mental states of
another person - A theory about what other people
think about our mental states
What is Psychosocial Development?
- “Psycho” relating to the mind and
“social” relating to relationships and
the environment - Describes the impact of social
experience across the lifespan - A psychosocial crisis occurs at
each stage
How many stages of Psychosocial Development are there?
8
Psychosocial Development: Stage 1 Infancy (birth to 18
months)
- Psychosocial Crisis: Trust vs
Mistrust - Infants must learn to trust the care
and affection of their parents. - Important event: feeding.
- Maladaptive crisis resolution results
in distrust of parents and viewing
the world as inconsistent and
unpredictable
Psychosocial Development: Stage 2 Early Childhood (18 months to 3
years)
- Psychosocial crisis: Autonomy vs.
Shame and Doubt - Children need to develop a sense
of control and independence - Important event: toilet training.
- Maladaptive crisis resolution results
in feeling ashamed and doubt about
ability to do things independently
Psychosocial Development: Stage 3 Preschool Age (3-5 years)
- Psychosocial crisis: Initiative vs.
Guilt - Children should use their own
initiative in planning or carrying out
actions - Important event: exploration
- Maladaptive crisis resolution results
in developing a sense of guilt over
misbehaviour
Psychosocial Development: Stage 4 School Age (5-11 years)
- Psychosocial crisis: Industry vs.
Inferiority - Children are required to follow the
rules imposed by teachers at school
or parents at home - Important event: school.
- Maladaptive crisis resolution results
in beliefs of being inferior to others
Psychosocial Development: Stage 5 Adolescence (11-18 years)
- Psychosocial crisis: Identity vs.
Role confusion - Adolescents need to acquire a
sense of identity - Important event: social
relationships - Maladaptive crisis resolution results
in confusion about role in life
Is Early Puberty Onset worse for Boys or Girls?
Girls
Is Late Puberty Onset worse for Boys or Girls?
Boys
Issues in Communicating with Children (5)
- Triadic (or more!) rather than dyadic
consultation - Parents often interrupt during medical
interviews - Often highly anxious and overly concerned
- Younger children are naturally fearful of new
environments and strangers - Younger children have a limited.
understanding
Recommendations for Communicating with Children (11)
- Establish rapport
- Eye contact with child and parent
- Be at the child’s eye level
- Ensure child-friendly environment
- Observe, wait, listen (OWL)
- Use simple language and explain medical
concepts appropriately - Offer choice
- Reading books to children about their illness
can aid understanding - Do mock examinations on a toy or
the parent - Start by examining non-threatening areas
first to build trust - Give rewards and acknowledge cooperative
behaviours
Issues in Communicating with
Adolescents (3)
- Adolescents can be “private” and self-
conscious - They may not want their parents to be
involved - Desire for independence includes non-
adherence to treatment
Recommendations for Communicating with
Adolescents
- Negotiate times to see adolescents
separately from parents - Stress confidentiality of information
- Be respectful and understanding
- Take concerns seriously
- Show a positive attitude and interest in their
point of view - Use their terminology and explain any
medical terminology - Don’t ‘get down with the kids’
Issues in Communicating with Disabled Children and Adolescents
- May be unable to ask questions or
understand explanations - Reasoning ability should be considered
Recommendations for Communicating with Disabled Children and Adolescents (8)
- Ask about strategies the patient
uses to communicate - Ensure enough time to
communicate - Use diagrams and writing
- Check and clarify understanding
- Maintain eye contact when
speaking - Speak louder than normal if
required - Verbalisation of any actions
- Ensure supporters do not speak for
the patient unless requested
Parental Communication Styles and the corresponding Coping Strategies
- Optimism: Unrealistic Optimism
- Realism: Realistic Optimism
- Pessimism: Pessimism
- Factual: Neutral
