1
SUMMARY
DEVELOPMENTAL
PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
IBP year 2 | semester 1 | block 1
, 2
Contents
Chapter 1: introduction.................................................................................................................................... 6
Defining and identifying abnormality ......................................................................................................... 6
How common are psychological problems?................................................................................................ 7
How are developmental level and disorder related? .................................................................................... 7
How are gender and disorder related? ......................................................................................................... 7
Historical influences.................................................................................................................................... 7
Current study and practice........................................................................................................................... 8
Chapter 2: the developmental psychopathology perspective .......................................................................... 9
Perspectives, theories, models ..................................................................................................................... 9
The developmental psychopathology perspective: an overview ............................................................... 10
Concept of development............................................................................................................................ 10
Searching for causal factors and processes ............................................................................................... 10
Pathways of development .......................................................................................................................... 10
Risk, vulnerability and resilience .............................................................................................................. 11
Continuity of disorder ............................................................................................................................... 11
Normal development, problematic outcomes ............................................................................................ 12
Chapter 3: biological and environmental contexts of psychopathology ........................................................ 13
Brain and nervous system ......................................................................................................................... 13
Nervous system and risk for disordered functioning ................................................................................. 14
Genetic context.......................................................................................................................................... 15
Learning and cognition.............................................................................................................................. 16
Sociocultural context: an overview ........................................................................................................... 16
Family context, maltreatment and divorce ................................................................................................ 17
Peer influences .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Community and societal contexts.............................................................................................................. 20
Chapter 5: classification, assessment and intervention ................................................................................. 21
Classification and diagnosis ...................................................................................................................... 21
Assessment ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Chapter 6: anxiety and related disorders ....................................................................................................... 25
An introduction to internalizing disorders................................................................................................. 25
Anxiety and classifying anxiety disorders ................................................................................................. 25
Epidemiology of anxiety disorders............................................................................................................ 26
Specific phobias ........................................................................................................................................ 26
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) ..................................................................................................... 26
, 3
Separation anxiety ..................................................................................................................................... 27
School refusal ............................................................................................................................................ 27
Generalized anxiety disorder ..................................................................................................................... 28
Panic attacks and panic disorder ............................................................................................................... 28
Reactions to traumatic events .................................................................................................................... 29
Obsessive-compulsive disorder ................................................................................................................. 30
Etiology of anxiety and related disorders .................................................................................................. 31
Assessment of anxiety disorders ............................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 7: mood disorders ............................................................................................................................ 32
A historical perspective ............................................................................................................................. 32
The DSM approach to the classification of mood disorders ..................................................................... 32
Definition and classification of depression ............................................................................................... 33
Epidemiology of depression ...................................................................................................................... 34
Depression and development..................................................................................................................... 34
Etiology of depression ............................................................................................................................... 34
Assessment of depression.......................................................................................................................... 36
Treatment of depression ............................................................................................................................ 36
Bipolar disorders ....................................................................................................................................... 37
Suicide ....................................................................................................................................................... 38
Article 1: school absenteeism and school refusal behavior in youth: a contemporary review (Kearney) ..... 39
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 39
Key concepts ............................................................................................................................................. 39
Prevalence ................................................................................................................................................. 39
Physical conditions .................................................................................................................................... 40
Psychiatric conditions ............................................................................................................................... 40
Classification and proximal variables ....................................................................................................... 40
Contextual risk factors .............................................................................................................................. 40
Cross-cultural variables ............................................................................................................................. 41
Assessment ................................................................................................................................................ 41
Intervention ............................................................................................................................................... 41
Outcome .................................................................................................................................................... 41
Article 2: school refusal (Heyne and Sauter) ................................................................................................ 41
Theoretical background ............................................................................................................................. 41
Therapeutic goals and methods ................................................................................................................. 42
Article 3: school refusal and psychiatric disorders: a community study (Egger et al.) ................................. 43
, 4
Method ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
Results ....................................................................................................................................................... 44
Discussion ................................................................................................................................................. 44
Article 4: adolescent school absenteeism: modelling social and individual risk factors (Ingul et al.) .......... 45
Background ............................................................................................................................................... 45
Method ...................................................................................................................................................... 45
Results ....................................................................................................................................................... 46
Discussion ................................................................................................................................................. 47
Limitations ................................................................................................................................................ 47
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................... 47
Chapter 10: language and learning disabilities .............................................................................................. 47
A bit of history: unexpected disabilities, unmet needs .............................................................................. 47
Definitional concerns ................................................................................................................................ 47
Language disabilities ................................................................................................................................. 48
Learning disabilities: reading, writing, arithmetic .................................................................................... 49
Social and motivational problems ............................................................................................................. 51
Brain abnormalities in language and learning disabilities ......................................................................... 51
Etiology of language and learning disabilities .......................................................................................... 52
Assessing language and learning disabilities ............................................................................................ 52
Special education services ......................................................................................................................... 52
Chapter 12: autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia ............................................................................. 53
A bit of history .......................................................................................................................................... 53
DSM: autism spectrum disorder ................................................................................................................ 53
Autistic disorder (autism) .......................................................................................................................... 53
Schizophrenia ............................................................................................................................................ 57
Chapter 11: intellectual disability.................................................................................................................. 59
Definition and classification...................................................................................................................... 59
Nature of intelligence and adaptive behavior ............................................................................................ 60
Description ................................................................................................................................................ 60
Co-occurring disorders .............................................................................................................................. 61
Epidemiology ............................................................................................................................................ 61
Developmental course and considerations ................................................................................................ 61
Etiology ..................................................................................................................................................... 62
Genetic syndromes .................................................................................................................................... 62
Family accommodations and experiences ................................................................................................. 64
, 5
Assessment ................................................................................................................................................ 64
Chapter 8: conduct problems ......................................................................................................................... 65
Classification and description ................................................................................................................... 66
Epidemiology ............................................................................................................................................ 68
Developmental course ............................................................................................................................... 68
Etiology ..................................................................................................................................................... 69
Substance use ............................................................................................................................................ 71
Assessment ................................................................................................................................................ 72
Chapter 9: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ........................................................................................ 72
Evolving ideas about ADHD..................................................................................................................... 72
DSM classification and diagnosis ............................................................................................................. 73
Description: primary features .................................................................................................................... 73
Description: secondary features ................................................................................................................ 73
DSM subtypes ........................................................................................................................................... 74
Co-occurring disorders .............................................................................................................................. 74
Epidemiology ............................................................................................................................................ 75
Developmental course ............................................................................................................................... 75
Neuropsychological theories of ADHD .................................................................................................... 76
Neurobiological abnormalities .................................................................................................................. 76
Etiology ..................................................................................................................................................... 77
A schema of the development of ADHD .................................................................................................. 77
Assessment ................................................................................................................................................ 78
, 6
Chapter 1: introduction
Defining and identifying abnormality
Criteria for abnormality rarely include specific known marker for disorder. Different factors.
Atypical and harmful behavior
Deviations assumed to be harmful. Disorder: clinically significant behavioral, cognitive or emotional
disturbances that reflect dysfunction in underlying mental processes, associated with distress or disability in
important areas of functioning. Interfering with adaptation, prevents negotiation of developmental tasks.
Behavior inextricably linked with larger world.
Developmental standards
Judgements rely on developmental norms: typical rates of growth, sequences of growth and forms of
physical skills, language, cognition, emotion and social behavior. Delayed development one sign, others are
atypical frequency, intensity or duration of behavior, or in inappropriate situations, abrupt changes. Also
qualitatively different; not seen in normal growth. Frequently indicate pervasive problem.
Culture and ethnicity
Culture: organization, specific environment, attitudes, beliefs, values, practices and behavioral standards.
Cross-cultural differences. Cultural analysis: ways in which cultures shape normal/abnormal development
and conceptualize, explain and treat. Cultural norms: influence on expectations, judgements and beliefs
about behavior. Need to consider ethnicity/race. Ethnicity: common customs, values, language or
traits. Race: shared customs, values etc.
Other standards
Gender norms: affect emotions, behaviors, opportunities and choices. Role in judgements. Situational
norms: what is expected in settings/social situations.
The role of others
Identification and labeling more likely when others become concerned. Adult attitudes, sensitivity,
tolerance and ability to cope all play role in identification.
Changing views of abnormality
factors: enhanced knowledge, theoretical modifications, transition in cultural beliefs and values.
, 7
How common are psychological problems?
Frequency depends on definition and criteria set for identification. Rates can vary with used measures,
source of information and characteristics of studied population. Disparity. Problems of preschoolers/infants
quite similar to those of older children. Variations, so difficult to draw conclusions about secular trends.
Too often unrecognized or no adequate treatment. Adverse influence on families and society.
How are developmental level and disorder related?
Some relationship between specific problems and age at which they usually first appear/are identified.
Chronological age correlated with developmental level. Other aspects of onset: gender, extraneous
circumstances. Knowing usual onset age can suggest etiology. Early occurrence → genetic and/or prenatal.
Later → additional developmental influences. Guide to judging severity of outcome (early = more severe).
Preventing, early treatment to reduce severity and secondary problems.
How are gender and disorder related?
Males more frequently affected. Related to age. Males: neurodevelopmental disorders early, females:
emotional problems and eating disorders around adolescence. Differences in rates and developmental
change for externalizing and internalizing problems. Problems may be expressed differently. Severity,
causes and consequences can vary.
Methodological issues, true differences
Bias for studying males → mistaken inferences. More willing to report certain problems per gender.
Referral bias, clinical samples biased towards boys → mistakenly high rates. More indirect: disorders
described in way that fits boys, fewer girls will fit symptom picture. Real gender differences attributed by
biological and psychological influences. Differential biological vulnerabilities and strengths, differences in
sex chromosomes/hormones, brain structure and function, differences in response to stress in emotion,
Differentially exposed to risk and protective experiences, differences in sociability, friendships and
interactions, different sex-role expectations, differences in psychological responses to circumstances.
Historical influences
Early: primarily adults (children not considered very different and high death rates).
17th century: physical, psychological and educational needs that required nourishment, nurturance and
instruction.
