Abnormal Child Psychology
Protective factors
reduce chance of developing disorder
Development influenced by multiple factors (types of factors)
risk and protective - have additive effects
Example of a positive developmental cascade
secure attachment/manages emotions/age appropriate language --> manages transition to school/good friendships
Bronfenbrenners ecological systems theory
- Child's environment portrayed as series of nested and interconnected structures - Different levels of influences, and their reciprocal connections, are key to understanding normal and abnormal development
Strengths of diagnostic/categorical approach
- Good descriptions of clinical problems - Enables communication with other professionals
Limitations of diagnostic/categorical approach
- Labeling children - Overlap between categories - Little insight into mechanisms underlying difficulties - Many problems are on a continuum
Assumptions of developmental psychopathology approach (4)
1. Atypical and typical development is mutually informative 2. Development occurs within nested contexts 3. Development is influenced by multiple risk factors (and protective factors) 4. Developmental pathways may be continuous or discontinuous.
Diagnostic/categorical approach definitions
1. Clinically significant behavioural, psychological pattern 2. Distress, disability, increased risk of suffering or harm 3. Not socially/culturally expected response to event
2 views on childhood disorder
1. diagnostic/categorical approach 2. developmental psychopathology approach
Developmental psychopathology approach
Adopts a life course perspective of psychopathology
Developmental tasks
Age-specific tasks or skills children typically master to progress within developmental domains (adaptational failure is when tasks are not met)
Turning point
An event that changes the direction of their developmental pathway
Continuity vs. discontinuity
Developmental pathways not always linear: • Some show continuity • Some change into different forms
Equifinality
Individuals different at one time can converge
Multifinality
Individuals similar at one time may evolve differently
Example of a negative developmental cascade
Insecure attachment/shy/problems regulating fear --> reluctant to participate at kindergarten and school/social and academic difficulties --> greater anxiety/depression
Developmental cascades
Process by which a previous experience alters subsequent course of development
Resilience
Processes that facilitate good outcomes despite risk. Resilience not a fixed or universal attribute of the child; it varies according to context and stressors and is connected to collection of protective resources e.g. opportunities for child, family support from community
Example of a developmental task
Secure attachment: Need responsive and available parent to provide secure base from which child can learn how to understand relationships
Developmental pathways
Sequence and timing of behaviours, as well as possible relationships between behaviours over time. Can be continuous or discontinuous
Atypical and typical development is mutually informative
Understanding abnormal development requires an understanding of normal development (vice versa)
Risk factors
predict failure to achieve developmental tasks (but do not inevitably lead to difficulties)