Weeks 1-7 Major Concepts Flashcards
What is the Developmental Psychopathology Perspective
maladaptive behavior starts for specific individuals
whatever age, cause, or transformations in behavior,
and however complex the course of the developmental pattern may be
K3 Paradigm
Knowledge of:
- Development
- Contexts
- Theories
Human behavioral traits almost always arise from complex transactions between biological vulnerabilities and exposure to environmental risks across development
Common Risk Factors
They increase the chance of developing a disorder.
- Genetics
- Temperament
- Social/Cognitive Deficits
- Maladaptive Patterns of Parenting
- Limited Family Resources
Common Protective Factors
Lower likelihood of negative outcomes.
- Easy temperament
- Early coping strategies
- High intelligence
- Positive Parenting
- Availability of resources
What does the CNS activate?
amygdala-locus coeruleus
What are the components of the ANS?
SNS and PNS
What is the nervous system response to acute stress?
- ANS sympathetic-adrenal medulla activation (SAM)
- CNS amygdala-locus coeruleus activation
- CNS hypothalamic activation, which can directly lead to the excitation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) AXIS
Cortisol
Released from adrenal glands to manage alarm reactions to stress. Attempts to return the body to homeostasis. High cortisol helps fix a traumatic memory in your mind.
Explain the Brain Development
The first part of the brain to form is the brainstem and cerebellum; without these, survival is impossible. They regulate attention, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. Next, the midbrain begins to develop and regulates the body by managing motor functions, arousal levels, and appetite. Following this, the limbic system develops, often referred to as the emotional brain, as it is associated with feelings of attachment and connection. The neocortex, the most complex part of the brain, develops last. It is responsible for both abstract and concrete thinking as well as executive functioning. During significant stress or prolonged trauma, the neocortex can shut down, leaving an individual stuck in a limbic state.
Which brain regions are impacted by trauma?
Frontal Lobe - Executive functioning, impulse control, problem-solving
Amygdala - Fear processing, threat detection, emotional response
Hippocampus - Memory formation, emotional regulation
What are the five key themes related to developmental psychopathology?
- Normal development orderly and predictable path
2/3. Maladaptive behaviors deviate from the normal path and have a continuum of severity
- various factors influence deviations in development
- multiple theoretical perspectives assist in understanding maladaptive behaviors
Hyporeactive
Parasympathetic nervous system bias. State of arousal is usually decreased. There’s latency in focused attention. Flat affect, aimless wandering, often overlooked, just appear bored or uninvolved.
Hyperreactive
Sympathetic nervous system bias. Behavior is characterized by high arousal, an inability to focus attention, negative affect, and impulsive or defensive action. May have unregulated aggressive behavior. They see a lot of activity in response to environment. They won’t look for sensation, they just react highly to it. High relation to ADHD.
Sensory Avoider
Try to manage the sympathetic nervous system by avoiding excitatory input. Affect is usually fearful or anxious. Action is constrained. May be aggressive with little provocation. Highly correlated with Anxiety.
Sensory Seeker
Manage parasympathetic nervous system bias by being an adreneline junkie. Very hard to reach sensory threshold so they seek and seek until they feel somethign. Attention is poorly modulated + brief. Affect can be variable (flat - frenzied). Frequently results in overstimulation - can crash.
Explain Level 1 ASD
(“Requiring Support”):
Individuals can function independently
struggle with social interactions
may need help managing rigid routines or sensitivities.
Explain Level 2 ASD
(“Requiring Substantial Support”)
Noticeable difficulties in v/nv communication
Distress from routine changes
A need for support in daily activities.
Explain Level 3 ASD
(“Requiring Very Substantial Support”):
Severe communication difficulties,
highly restricted behaviors,
and extreme distress when routines change,
often requiring significant assistance for daily functioning.
John Bowlby says…
the goal of attachment behavior is
to keep close to a preferred person,
in order to maintain a sense of security.
Attachment provides the child with…
emotional security and a secure-based relationship
What is the difference between Reactive Attachment Disorder and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder?
RAD is specifically linked to children who lack any secure attachment, while DSED occurs in children who may have had some recovery but still struggle with attachment regulation. A key difference is that RAD can improve with treatment, whereas DSED is often treatment-resistant. Children with RAD tend to be withdrawn and uninterested in unfamiliar adults, whereas those with DSED display overly friendly and indiscriminate social behaviors. Additionally, DSED is commonly associated with aggression, whereas RAD is linked to anxiety/depression. DSED is misdiagnosed with ADHD, while RAD with ASD.
Secure Attachment
Distressed upon separation, easily comforted upon return. The caregiver is responsive, consistent, and sensitive. Leads to confident, good relationships and emotionally regulated.
Ambivalent Attachment
Is clingy, anxious, hard to soothe, and resists comfort upon caregiver return. Mother is inconsistent and unpredictable. Leads to fear of abandonment, low autonomy, and social difficulties.
Avoidant Attachment
Avoids caregiver, downplays distress, and appears self-sufficient. The mother is emotionally distant or rejective. This leads to withdrawal, struggles with intimacy, and suppresses emotions.
