Working Models: Psychological problems in childhood and

adolescence

Reading

CLOSED RESERVE:CLOSED RESERVE: From Wenar & Kerig (2000) From Wenar & Kerig (2000)

Developmental Psychopathology.Developmental Psychopathology.

““Developmental psychopathology (pp. 18-26)Developmental psychopathology (pp. 18-26)

Lecture Questions

What are the key elements of a What are the key elements of a developmental model of childhood developmental model of childhood disorders?disorders?

How would a developmental model work in How would a developmental model work in practice?practice?

What are the key elements of a social What are the key elements of a social contextual model?contextual model?

How would a social contextual model work How would a social contextual model work in practice?in practice?

Developmental model

Psychological problems = normal Psychological problems = normal development gone awry, continuumdevelopment gone awry, continuum

HierarchicalHierarchical Continuity and discontinuityContinuity and discontinuity HolisticHolistic

Sroufe & Rutter, Cichetti & Cohen

Using a developmental framework

Issues in infancy/early Issues in infancy/early childhood:childhood:

Self-controlSelf-control

AttachmentAttachment

Language/Language/

CommunicationCommunication

Development gone awry:Development gone awry:

Toileting/sleep problemsToileting/sleep problems

Separation anxietySeparation anxiety

Attachment disordersAttachment disorders

Oppositional behaviourOppositional behaviour

AutismAutism

Is there something wrong with Geoff’s daughter?

Framework: middle childhood

Issues in middle Issues in middle childhoodchildhood

Learning/school Learning/school requirementsrequirements

PeersPeers Realistic fearsRealistic fears

Development gone awry:Development gone awry: Learning disordersLearning disorders EnuresisEnuresis Conduct disorderConduct disorder School phobiaSchool phobia Specific phobiaSpecific phobia OCDOCD

Should Anna be worried about Tom?

Framework: Adolescence

Issues in adolescence:Issues in adolescence: IdentityIdentity Peer groupPeer group SexualitySexuality Physiological changesPhysiological changes Experimentation/Experimentation/

curiositycuriosity

Development gone awry:Development gone awry: Conduct disorderConduct disorder Eating disordersEating disorders Substance AbuseSubstance Abuse Depression/ suicidalityDepression/ suicidality

Do Alex and Sam need to worry about CYFS?

Developmental model: so what determines

healthy vs problematic responses? Risk factorsRisk factors VulnerabilityVulnerability Protective factors/buffersProtective factors/buffers Resiliency Resiliency Werner & Smith study,Werner & Smith study,

Kauai island, 40 years)Kauai island, 40 years)

Social contextual model (Carr)

Influences extend both ways, from and to child

Problems “nested in multiple systems”

systems

developmental

pan theoretical

Framework for understanding problem development Precipitating- trigger eventsPrecipitating- trigger events Predisposing- vulnerabilities or risk factorsPredisposing- vulnerabilities or risk factors Maintaining-factors that keep the problem Maintaining-factors that keep the problem

goinggoing Protective factors- strengths and resourcesProtective factors- strengths and resources

Jodie: A case study

Jenny

Tom

Joel15

Matthew19

Jody10

Margaret

Mark

JimNola

alcoholic

Claustrophobic

Shift worker, pub 4/5

Separation anxiety

Left home-6 months

Glandular fever-age 9

Examples of precipitating events

Transition- lifecycle transitions, changing Transition- lifecycle transitions, changing residence, school, change in family residence, school, change in family structure (divorce or separation, step-structure (divorce or separation, step-family)family)

Distressing event (death, separation, Distressing event (death, separation, hospitalisation, relationship loss, abuse)hospitalisation, relationship loss, abuse)

Physical illnessPhysical illness Social/financial stresses in familySocial/financial stresses in family

Examples of predisposing (risk) factors in child

Biological factors:Biological factors: Genetic vulnerabilitiesGenetic vulnerabilities Pre- and peri-natal Pre- and peri-natal

complicationscomplications Early injuries, Early injuries,

illnessesillnesses

Psychological factors:Psychological factors: Low intelligenceLow intelligence Difficult temperamentDifficult temperament Low self-esteemLow self-esteem External locus of External locus of

controlcontrol

Examples of family factors

Parenting in early life-Parenting in early life- neglectful, permissive, neglectful, permissive, authoritarian, inconsistent, lack of stimulation, authoritarian, inconsistent, lack of stimulation, attachment problemsattachment problems

Family problems in early lifeFamily problems in early life- psychological, - psychological, alcohol or drug abuse, parental criminality, alcohol or drug abuse, parental criminality, violence, deviant siblings, family disorganisationviolence, deviant siblings, family disorganisation

Stresses in early life-Stresses in early life-bereavement,bereavement, separations, child abuse, socialseparations, child abuse, social disadvantage, institutional upbringing disadvantage, institutional upbringing

Examples of school factors

Bullying/ victimisationBullying/ victimisation Unsuitability of educationalUnsuitability of educational placementplacement Lack of friendshipsLack of friendships Deviant peersDeviant peers Community examples:Community examples: Poor social support network for familyPoor social support network for family Community attitudes (e.g. disparagement of Community attitudes (e.g. disparagement of

adolescent mothers, tolerance for violence)adolescent mothers, tolerance for violence)

Maintaining factors:examples

Child: Child: poor coping, low self-image, negative poor coping, low self-image, negative world-viewworld-view

Family: Family: communication problems, authoritarian or communication problems, authoritarian or inconsistent parenting, chaotic patterns, spousal inconsistent parenting, chaotic patterns, spousal violenceviolence

Parents: Parents: problems akin to child’s, own problems akin to child’s, own psychological problems or criminalitypsychological problems or criminality

Social: Social: poor support, high family stress, tolerance poor support, high family stress, tolerance of violence, deviant peer groupof violence, deviant peer group

Protective factors:examples

Biological-Biological- good health good health Psychological-Psychological-intelligence, easy temperament, intelligence, easy temperament,

high self-worth and sense of coping, optimistic, high self-worth and sense of coping, optimistic, effective coping skillseffective coping skills

Family-Family- clear communication, authoratative clear communication, authoratative parenting, secure parent-child relationshipparenting, secure parent-child relationship

Parents-Parents-positive psychological well-being, positive psychological well-being, effective copingeffective coping

Social-Social- low stress, good social supports, peer low stress, good social supports, peer support, financially securesupport, financially secure

Checkpoint

Principles of developmental modelPrinciples of developmental model Construction of problems within Construction of problems within

developmental modeldevelopmental model Principles of systemic modelPrinciples of systemic model How problems seen to develop within How problems seen to develop within

social contextual modelsocial contextual model