Midterm #1 Flashcards
What is Developmental Psychopathology?
The study of origins and course of individual patterns of behavioral maladaptation, whatever the age of onset, whatever the cause, whatever the transformations in behavioral manifestation, and however complex the course of the developmental pattern may be.
What do developmental psychopathology models seek to incorporate?
- neurobiological factors
- early parent child factors
- attachment processes
- long term memory storage that develops with age and experience
- micro and macrosocial influences
- cultural factors
- age
- gender
- reactions from the social environment
- results in an integration of brain biology and maturation with the multidimensional nature of individual experience
What is the main focus of developmental psychopathology as a concept?
The main focus is a description of developmental processes through an examination of extremes in developmental outcome and variations between normative outcomes and negative and positive experiences. A child plays an active role in their developmental organization.
What are protective factors?
- easy temperament
- positive parenting
- will to do something
- family religious beliefs (being questioned)
- effective school environment
- early coping strategies that combine autonomy with help seeking when needed
- high intelligence and scholastic competence
- effective communication and problem solving skills
- positive self-esteem and emotions
- high self-efficacy
- close relationship with at least one person who is attuned to the childs needs
- availability of resources
- a talent or hobby that is valued by adults
- relationships with caring neighbors, community members, peers.
- opening of opportunities at major life transitions
- attractiveness
What is needed for case formulation?
- descriptive information
- diagnosis
- inferential information
- treatment planning
What are examples of inferential information?
- inferred problems in global psychological, social, or occupational functioning
- inferred symptoms or problems
- predisposing experiences, events, traumas, stressors inferred as explanatory
- current stressors
- inferred mechanisms: psychological, learning deficit, affect regulation, dysfunctional thoughts, etc.
What is Attachment?
Attachment is the strong emotional bond that develops between a child and caregiver, providing emotional security for the child and thus creating a secure based relationship.
According to John Bowlby, what is the goal of Attachment?
Goal of attachment is to keep close to a preferred person in order to maintain a sense of security.
What are functions of Attachment?
- Provides a sense of security in the world.
- Facilitates regulation of affect and arousal (facilitating the independent function of homeostasis and regulation)
- Expression of feelings and communication.
- Provides children with a base of operation for exploration.
What are the four classifications of Attachment?
- Secure
- Insecure/ Avoidant
- Insecure/ Ambivalent
- Insecure/ Disorganized
What is Secure Attachment?
Study: When mom is initially present in the room, the children show to actively explore the room. When the mom is out of the room the child still explores but it is minimal. Upon the mom leaving the room, the childs distress varies, but upon the return of the mother the child greats the mother with a positive greating and looks relieved and happy. The distressed secure child is also camed quickly when soothed.
Home: at home the mom is typically responsive, emotionally available and loving.
General: they have fewer behavioral problems, they are more confident in exploring their environment, they are more flexible and resourceful, more open to learning, their good attachment is generalized to other relationships. They grow up to seek teacher support when distressed. They show less negative affect and show a capacity for empathy. A moderate activation of the child’s need for comfort when distressed.
Adults: as adults they value attachment relationships, they believe that attachment relationships have a major influence on their personality development later in life. They are objective/ unbiased and balanced in describing their relationships. They are able to discuss attachment at ease. Took a realistic rather than idealistic view of their parents.
What is Insecure/ Avoidant Attachment?
Study: The child played independently when the caregiver was present and did not appear distressed when the mother left the room. When she returned they continued to ignore the mother and showed little affect. When the mom tried to engage with the child the child still avoided contact giving the impression of self reliance and being preoccupied with toys. The attachment is conveyed to be not important to the child, some theorize that this is a defensive strategy by the child.
Home: the child is actively rejected or ignored by their mother. Moms speak negatively about their child, often inaccurate about the babys behavior. Moms appeared to be intolelrant of the infants distress and thus were seen as angry. This is not a nonattachment, it can be seen as a childs way of attaching by avoiding the rejection they would receive if they did become distressed, so they attach by avoiding altogether.
General: they show higher levels of unprovoked aggressive behavior and higher levels of hostility. They have more negative interaction siwth other children. They also generalize their defenses of avoidance and self-reliance to other relationships and don’t ask for help. They are likely to sulk and withdraw and thus are viewed more negatively and therefore are subject to being disciplined more.
Children who show little distress on separation and show little need for closeness or comfort on reunion. Diminished activation of the child’s need for comfort when distressed.
What is Insecure/ Ambivalent Attachment?
Study: The child showed a very intense reaction to the separation and appeared anxious in the pre-seperation stage of the relationship. They were desperate to be reunified with the mother while also resisting her efforts; thus leading them to not being able to soothe.
Home: moms are inconsistent with their responses in the home. They also reflect moms behavior towards them, they are conflicted/ambivilant about wanting contact from the caregiver and are angry at mom for being inconsistent.
General: Their behavior conveys a strong need for attachment but a lack of confidence in its availability. Their intense affect reflects the constant uncertainty of how mom will react to them. They have low levels of autonomous behavior/ independent behavior. They are more occupied with the uncertainty in their attachment that it influences their lack of exploring the world. They are unable to master normative seperation fears, linked to behavioral inhibition (self consciousness), lack of assertiveness and socially withdrawl and have poor social skills.
What is Disorganized Attachment?
Study: upon being reunified with the mother the child shows contradictory behavor, smiling while also appearing fearful. The child has internal conflicts that interfere with their ability to reestablish attachment; thus they appear confused and disorganized. This child may even go to the stranger for comfort. They are unable to self regulate and may see self stimulatory behavior. These children have an unresolved fear towards their caregiver.
Home: this is consistent with a history of either unresolved trauma in caregiver or consistent with a history of maltreatment at the hands of the caregiver. Also found with parents with serious mental illness and there is an increased risk with poverty. They have higher resting heart rates and higher levels of cortisol.
General: they have poor self confidence, poor academic achievement, they use dissociation as a preferred defense, poor overall outcome, increased aggressive behavior, poor social skills.
DSM-5 (RAD) Reactive Attachment Disorder
A. A consistent pattern of inhibited, emotionally withdrawn behavior toward adult caregivers, manifested by both of the following:
1. The child rarely or minimally seeks comfort when distressed. 2. The child rarely or minimally responds to comfort when distressed.
B. A persistent social or emotional disturbance characterized by at least two of the following:
1. Minimal social and emotional responsiveness to others 2. Limited positive affect 3. Episodes of unexplained irritability, sadness, or fearfulness that are evident even during nonthreatening interactions with adult caregivers.
C. The child has experienced a pattern of of extremes of insufficient care as evidenced by at least one of the following:
1. Social neglect or deprivation in the form of persistent lack of having basic emotional needs for comfort, stimulation and affection met by caring adults 2. Repeated changes of primary caregivers that limit opportunities to form stable attachments (e.g., frequent changes in foster care) 3. Rearing in unusual settings that severely limit opportunities to form selective attachments (e.g., institutions with high child to caregiver ratios)
D. The care in Criterion C is presumed to be responsible for the disturbed behavior in Criterion A (e.g., the disturbances in Criterion A began following the lack of adequate care in Criterion C).
E. The criteria are not met for autism spectrum disorder.
F. The disturbance is evident before age 5 years.
G. The child has a developmental age of at least nine months.
Specify if Persistent: The disorder has been present for more than 12 months.
Specify current severity: Reactive Attachment Disorder is specified as severe when a child exhibits all symptoms of the disorder, with each symptom manifesting at relatively high levels.
