Working Models: Psychological problems in childhood and adolescence

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Working Models Psychological problems in
childhood and adolescence
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Reading

• CLOSED RESERVE
• From Wenar Kerig (2000) Developmental
  Psychopathology.
• Developmental psychopathology (pp. 18-26)

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Lecture Questions

• What are the key elements of a developmental
  model of childhood disorders?
• How would a developmental model work in practice?
• What are the key elements of a social contextual
  model?
• How would a social contextual model work in
  practice?

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Developmental model

• Psychological problems normal development gone
  awry, continuum
• Hierarchical
• Continuity and discontinuity
• Holistic

Sroufe Rutter, Cichetti Cohen
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Using a developmental framework

• Issues in infancy/early childhood
• Self-control
• Attachment
• Language/
• Communication

• Development gone awry
• Toileting/sleep problems
• Separation anxiety
• Attachment disorders
• Oppositional behaviour
• Autism

Is there something wrong with Geoffs daughter?
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Framework middle childhood

• Issues in middle childhood
• Learning/school requirements
• Peers
• Realistic fears

• Development gone awry
• Learning disorders
• Enuresis
• Conduct disorder
• School phobia
• Specific phobia
• OCD

Should Anna be worried about Tom?
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Framework Adolescence

• Issues in adolescence
• Identity
• Peer group
• Sexuality
• Physiological changes
• Experimentation/curiosity

• Development gone awry
• Conduct disorder
• Eating disorders
• Substance Abuse
• Depression/ suicidality

Do Alex and Sam need to worry about CYFS?
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Developmental model so what determines healthy
vs problematic responses?

• Risk factors
• Vulnerability
• Protective factors/buffers
• Resiliency
• Werner Smith study,
• Kauai island, 40 years)

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Social contextual model (Carr)
Problems nested in multiple systems
systems
developmental
child
pan theoretical
parents
extended family
school
Influences extend both ways, from and to child
community
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Framework for understanding problem development

• Precipitating- trigger events
• Predisposing- vulnerabilities or risk factors
• Maintaining-factors that keep the problem going
• Protective factors- strengths and resources

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Jodie A case study
alcoholic
Margaret
Tom
Jim
Nola
Claustrophobic
Jenny
Mark
Shift worker, pub 4/5
Joel 15
Matthew 19

• Jody
• 10

Left home-6 months
Separation anxiety
Glandular fever-age 9
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Examples of precipitating events

• Transition- lifecycle transitions, changing
  residence, school, change in family structure
  (divorce or separation, step-family)
• Distressing event (death, separation,
  hospitalisation, relationship loss, abuse)
• Physical illness
• Social/financial stresses in family

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Examples of predisposing (risk) factors in child

• Biological factors
• Genetic vulnerabilities
• Pre- and peri-natal complications
• Early injuries, illnesses

• Psychological factors
• Low intelligence
• Difficult temperament
• Low self-esteem
• External locus of control

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Examples of family factors

• Parenting in early life- neglectful, permissive,
  authoritarian, inconsistent, lack of stimulation,
  attachment problems
• Family problems in early life- psychological,
  alcohol or drug abuse, parental criminality,
  violence, deviant siblings, family
  disorganisation
• Stresses in early life-bereavement,
• separations, child abuse, social
• disadvantage, institutional upbringing
  

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Examples of school factors

• Bullying/ victimisation
• Unsuitability of educational
• placement
• Lack of friendships
• Deviant peers
• Community examples
• Poor social support network for family
• Community attitudes (e.g. disparagement of
  adolescent mothers, tolerance for violence)

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Maintaining factorsexamples

• Child poor coping, low self-image, negative
  world-view
• Family communication problems, authoritarian or
  inconsistent parenting, chaotic patterns, spousal
  violence
• Parents problems akin to childs, own
  psychological problems or criminality
• Social poor support, high family stress,
  tolerance of violence, deviant peer group

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Protective factorsexamples

• Biological- good health
• Psychological-intelligence, easy temperament,
  high self-worth and sense of coping, optimistic,
  effective coping skills
• Family- clear communication, authoratative
  parenting, secure parent-child relationship
• Parents-positive psychological well-being,
  effective coping
• Social- low stress, good social supports, peer
  support, financially secure

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Checkpoint

• Principles of developmental model
• Construction of problems within developmental
  model
• Principles of systemic model
• How problems seen to develop within social
  contextual model