Major Psychological Issues of Childhood

Question 1

Disorders especially common among children

Answer 1

Some disorders are especially common among children, such as;

1. Attention-deficit /hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
2. Conduct disorder,
3. Oppositional defiant disorder, and
4. Separation anxiety disorder.

Question 2

True or false. Children cannot have the mental disorders adults have.

Answer 2

FALSE. Of course, children and adolescents can also be diagnosed with disorders that are more common in adults.

Question 3

What are the adult disorders that children can have too?

Answer 3

Major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anorexia, bulimia, substance use, adjustment disorders, phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder are some of the many problems diagnosed in both adults and children. In some cases, the diagnostic criteria for these disorders are adjusted for children.

Question 4

What are examples of adjusting of diagnostic criteria for children?

Answer 4

For example, among the criteria for a major depressive episode, the DSM-5 includes a note that in children and adolescents, irritable mood can replace depressed mood, and failure to gain weight according to growth expectations can replace weight loss.

Among the criteria for a specific phobia, DSM-5 notes that children may express their fear and anxiety in unique ways, including crying, tantrums, or clinging to caregivers.

For posttraumatic stress disorder, the DSM-5 has a distinct set of criteria for children 6 years old and younger, including diminished interest in playing or playing that involves reenactment of the trauma (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).