Lecture 9 - Developmental Psychopathology Flashcards
What is developmental psychopathology
The origins and patterns of atypical behaviour over the lifespan
Can guide preventions and interventions
A developmental context to psychopathology 4 4
Anxiety, Phobias
Can be detected at very young age and if undetect can develop extra disorders -> particularly in anxiety and mood disorders, and the disorder can be more severe
Core principles of developmental psychopathology
The developmental principle:
Development is key to understanding psychopathology
Continuously developing and changing
Transitiions occur -> primary to secondary etc.
Can have psychological impact
Not continuous linear -> effected more at transitions and other things that happen in their lives
The normative principle:
We judge in comparison to what is considered “normal”
Comparison to the normal in the current context
2- year old -> temper tantrum, 17 -> more concerning because no longer expected of thim at this level of consistency
The early precursors principle: We need to look for early warning signs Often signs are there Antisocial or Agressive behaviour, rejected by peers Spot to prevent worsening
The multiple pathways principle:
We must consider multiple levels of functioning (e.g. genetic, social)
Many factors involved in pathways
Occur in multiple levels -> cultural, biological, social etc.
Complete understanding of disorders must fully understand all these layers of them -> genetic predispostion, social influences
Models of abnormality
Medical model
Disorders come from within
Social model
What causes “abnormality” is external
Statistical model
Deviation from average
Social context
Charectoristics effect perceptions
Devients and temperament seen more difficult/ bad in boys
Adult who refers the child -> bias perception of own children, perhaps if stressed/ depressed/ abbussive -> more likely to see as negative
Enviroment -> home vs. school behavioural differences, labeling (broken home, high risk child)-> influence how they’re treated, the child may feel this and change how they are acting
Full context for this child before a diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM-5
Guide diagnosis
ADHD -> more reliably diagnosed
Depression -> differntly interpreted, perhaps perceived as other disorders
Mood swings, lots of time in room -> coping with all the social pressures (aware of all these things), or are they actually depressed -> right diagnosis = right support
ICD -> more british used
Can’t rely on just one, there are others
Classifying psychological disorders in childhood
Undercontrolled conditions
The child appears to lack self-control, has a negative impact on others
Disobedient, agressive -> negatively impact others = most frequently reported (parents really struggling control behaviour -> more likely to go)
e.g. Conduct Disorder, ADHD
Overcontrolled conditions
The child appears overly controlled, withdrawn, negative
Lack sponteneity, negative and low emotions
e.g. Depression
Pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) Difficulties in cognitive, emotional and social development Highly percistent difficulties Particularly in social context Non-verbal or highly verbal -> Autism e.g. Autism
Conduct disorder
Characterised by behaviour that violates the rights of others or major societal norms
Different categories -> must be at least three
Agression-> physical fites, agreesive, physically cruel
Destruction of property -> delebrate fire with intention of serious damage
Deceitfulness or theft -> lied to obtain things, con others, stolen (shop lifting-> confronting but more subtly)
Serious violationgs -> truent from school, run away at least twice, staying out very late
More frequently diagnosed in males
Onset seems in mid-late adulescents
Often go on to crime without proper support
Develop/ manifest before 13
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits
Callous-unemotional (CU) traits = lack of guilt and empathy for victims + callous behaviour for self gain
Highly heritable
Difficulties with emotion processing, recognising facial expressions and fear
CU traits can reduce over time following interventions
Seen in some but not all with conduct disorder
Carrictoristic of pychopathy in adulthood -> more severe antisocial behaviour
Amegdela (fear) shows weaker response
Can be treated
Not stable over time, can reduce
Is it okay to think of as mini psychopaths
Self-fulfilling proficy
Label -> can think cannot change
Traits can change and may not continue this was
Perception of that child -> treated differently
Causes of conduct disorder
Risk factors
Impulsiveness
Low IQ and low educational attainment
Child abuse
Parental conflict and disrupted families
Socioeconomic factors
Community influences
Clumsiness
No thoughts of consequences
Low self-control
Delaying gratification
Twin english -> low IQ of child, independtly of parent IQ and social class to predict
Transmittion of behaviour from parents shown to child then showing such
Low income/ unemployed parents/ welfare benefits
Inner city -> neighboorhood disorganisation
Conduct disorder -> treatment
Many treatments (e.g. problem solving skills or anger coping therapy) ineffective Parenting interventions are more effect -> reward with positive, how to handle bad behaviour (time outs) -> effective at home but not always transfer to school, hard to maintain Conduct disorder -> resistant to treatment -> but more successful earlier Identify and treat early is very important
ADHD
Inattention, overactivity and impulsivity
Boys diagnosed with ADHD twice as much as girls -> may look different in girls -> more the inattention
Associated with anxiety, low self-esteem and learning disabilities
Problems persist into adolescence and adulthood 17 17
Causes of ADHD
Genetic component
Highly heritable - heritability 76%
Multiple different genes, each with small effect -> interact and may inherit seperately to combine and make more likely
Brain differences Frontal lobes delayed in development, smaller, underactivated Frontal lobes (reasoning, planning, descision making)
Environmental factors
Poverty, education, parenting, divorce, social class, maternal health…
Smoking, drinking in pregnancy
Parents more controlling and less affectionate
Those correlation doesnt mean causation, parent may just be trying to be more strict and do more to control this behaviour
Treatment for ADHD
Psychostimulant medication
E.g. methylphenidate (Ritalin), caffeine
Increases attention, positive effects for 5096% of children with ADHD
BUT risk of misuse and side effects
Increases attantion to focus
Mixed results for effectiveness
Issues -> high reliance, selling (5-35% sell on) -> help study/ stay awake
Side effects -> Insomnia, stomach aches
Psychosocial treatments
E.g. Behavioural and cognitive behavioural therapy
Children receiving medication or medication + therapy showed greatest improvement
Social skills training as well as understanding of themselves
Childhood depression
Persistent and pervasive sadness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
Associated symptoms: low self-esteem, sleep and appetite changes, suicidal thoughts/behaviour
Children: marked irritability
Rates of depression – increase in adolescence
Nearly twice as many girls experience depression
Can be chronic and recurring
Children previously considered -> not mature enough to have depression, moody just part of being teenager
Young children much less likely to report such thoughts and behaviours in children
Repeated episodes throughout life
50-70% -> develop another episode up to 5 years after first
Causes of childhood depression
Biological factors
Serotonin? How the brain processes rewards?
Heritable – some genetic component (but interplay between genes x environment important!)
Social/psychological factors
Family/peer conflict, neglect, bullying…
Cognitive factors Learned helplessness (Seligman, 1974): feel like they have failed to achieve desired outcomes in life
