Human Psychological Development

Dr Vicki GrahameClinical Psychologist

Specialist Regional/Inpatient CAMHS

Developmental Milestones Chart

See separate handout- available online

http://uppua.org/pdfs/CW%20II%20Handouts/Effects%20of%20Abuse%20and%20Neglect%20on%20Child%20Development/Development_Chart_for_Booklet.pdf

Developed by The Institute for Human Services for The Ohio Child Welfare Training Program.

Stages of Cognitive DevelopmentPiaget,

Stage  Characterised by 

Sensori-motor  (Birth-2 yrs) 

Differentiates self from objects  Recognises self as agent of action and begins to act intentionally: e.g. pulls a

string to set mobile in motion or shakes a rattle to make a noise  Achieves object permanence: realises that things continue to exist even when no

longer present to the sense (pace Bishop Berkeley) 

Pre-operational  (2-7 years) 

Learns to use language and to represent objects by images and words  Thinking is still egocentric: has difficulty taking the viewpoint of others 

Classifies objects by a single feature: e.g. groups together all the red blocks regardless of shape or all the square blocks regardless of colour 

Concrete operational  (7-11 years) 

Can think logically about objects and events  Achieves conservation of number (age 6), mass (age 7), and weight (age 9)  Classifies objects according to several features and can order them in series

along a single dimension such as size. 

Formal operational  (11 years and up) 

Can think logically about abstract propositions and test hypotheses systemtically  Becomes concerned with the hypothetical, the future, and ideological problems 

Theory of MindTheory of mind describe a person's awareness of their own mental process and the mental processes of other people.

Beginnings of Awareness Before the age of two, children simply "are," without giving much thought to how and why

they think and feel the way that they do.Two and Three Year OldsIn the earliest stages of a child's development of theory of mind, they establish simple

comprehension of three mental states: Perception: Children understand that other people see what is in front of them, not

necessarily being what the children themselves are seeing. Wants: Two and three year old children understand that when someone wants something,

they will make an effort to get it. Example: "I want a cookie!" Emotions: Kids at this age have a fairly clear understanding of basic emotions and can

differentiate between happiness and sadness in themselves and others. Discerning positive from negative emotional responses is an important development in theory of mind.

Four and Five Year Olds Four and five year old children come to understand that there are such things as false beliefs

- that sometimes people can believe things that turn out to be misleading or untrue. In one study by Jenkins & Astington, children were shown a box from name brand bandages and asked the kids what was inside. They were surprised when they found pencils, rather than bandages inside the box. When they were asked what they thought a child who had never seen the box might think was in it, three year old kids answered, "pencils." The four and five year old children grinned and answered, "bandages!"

Six Year Olds and Beyond While preschool children can understand various states of mind, older children gain a deeper

comprehension of mental processes, especially in people beyond themselves. In middle childhood, kids begin to grasp that the mind actively interprets and retains knowledge. Later in childhood, kids gain even greater perspective, understanding that when different people witness the same event, their individual interpretations may vary, none of which are intentionally false, but are merely reflections of each person's unique viewpoint.

In considering the suitability of individual therapeutic work for children and young people it is important to ask

a) what skills do you need in order to engage in this type of work and

b) b) does the child you are working with have these skills?

Adapting therapy to make it developmentally sensitive to the needs of young people.

Need to assess a young person’s capacity and motivation for learning

Develop starategies that are attuned to a young person’s learning needs

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development

Psycho-Social Development There are five recognized psychosocial issues that teens

deal with during their adolescent years. These include:

Establishing an identity Establishing autonomy Establishing intimacy Becoming comfortable with one's sexuality Achievement.

Adolescent Development

The sudden and rapid physical changes that adolescents go through make adolescents very self-conscious, sensitive, and worried about their own body changes. They may make painful comparisons about themselves with their peers.

Because physical changes may not occur in a smooth, regular schedule, adolescents may go through awkward stages, both about their appearance and physical coordination. Girls may be anxious if they are not ready for the beginning of their menstrual periods. Boys may worry if they do not know about nocturnal emissions.

During adolescence, it is normal for young people to begin to separate from their parents and establish their own identity. In some cases, this may occur without a problem from their parents and other family members. However, in some families, the adolescent's rebellion may lead to conflict as the parents try to keep control.

How Do These Changes Affect Teens?Teens begin to spend more time with their

friends than their families Teens may have more questions about sexuality When they are in their rooms, teens may begin

to lock their bedroom doors. Teens may become involved in multiple hobbies

or clubs Teens may become elusive about where they

are going or with whom Teens may become more argumentative

Friendships

As adolescents pull away from their parents in a search for their own identity, their friends become more important.

Their peer group may become a safe haven, in which the adolescent can test new ideas.

In early adolescence, the peer group usually consists of non-romantic friendships, often including "cliques," gangs, or clubs. Members of the peer group often try to act alike, dress alike, have secret codes or rituals, and participate in the same activities.

As the youth moves into mid-adolescence (14 to 16 years) and beyond, the peer group expands to include romantic friendships.

Thanks and Questions