Prevention in Children and Adolescents

Question 1

What are developmental tasks for youth?

Answer 1

• Physiological homeostasis
• Differentiation and regulation affects
• Attachment development
• Development of self, self esteem, identity
• Representational capacities
• Effective relationships with peers
• Adjustment to school

On these stages the child can experience developmental issues

Question 2

What is the Diathesis (vulnerable) stress (trigger) model

Answer 2

Diathesis + stress = mental health problems

Diathesis

• Biological (genes, biochemistry, chronic stress)
• Social factor (maladaptive upbringing, chronic stress)
• Psychological factor (unconscious conflicts, poor skill, maladaptive cognitions)

Stress

• Biological trigger (onset of a disease, exposure to toxins)
• Social trigger (traumatic event, major loss)
• Psychological trigger (perceived loss of control, violation of trust)

When a child is more affected by stressors than a relational/ parenting interventions can be of great benefit

Question 3

What are several risk factors for mental health problems among children

Answer 3

• Psychopathology in one or more family members
• Marital conflicts between parents
• Single parent family
  
  • teenage mothers
• Strict, inconsistent disciplining
• Parents low in warmt and involvement
• Insecure attachment relationsips
• Conflicts with siblings, peers
• Unsafe neighborhood
• Low SES

Question 4

What can be some targets for prevention within developmental issues

Answer 4

• Families, school
• Individual children (<13 yrs) and peer groups
• Individual adolescents and peer groups

Question 5

What are family: relational interventions?

Answer 5

• At risk for developmental delays
• Quality of parenting behavior
• Prevention of child maltreatment
• physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• emotional abuse
• neglect

Question 6

What are some methods for preventive interventions for families?

Answer 6

• E-mental health (blikophulp.nl, effectivechildtherapy.com)
• Unstructured home visits
• Psycho-education, video feedback and meetings w/ parents in the university
• Prevention aimed at subgroups w/ a possible risk for developmental delays (language development)

Question 7

How can you increase parenting behavior?

Answer 7

• Increase physical contact (via soft baby carriers)
• Video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting; circle of security
• STEEP / instapte
  
  • Coach and play partner

Question 8

Methods to prevent maltreatment

Answer 8

• Attachment and Biobehavioral catch-up
• # Child parent psychotherapy; parent-child interaction therapy

Question 9

How to increase the quality of peer relations (<12 years old)

Answer 9

• Cooperative learning
• Peer and cross-age tutoring
• Anti- bullying interventions (e.g. good behavior game)
• etc.

Question 10

What are different specific topics for youth (>12 years)

Answer 10

• School dropout
• Substance use
• Risky sexual behavior
• Delinquency and youth violence
• Youth suicide
• Cognitive problems
• role of mindset and self-esteem

Question 11

What is the IPT-A?

Answer 11

It's for children >12 years. 
12 individual sessions, sessions w/ parents and parent sessions during 12 weeks
Problems in four problem areas 
* Grief
* Interpersonal role disputes
* Role transitions 
* Interpersonal deficitis