Psychological Disorders of Childhood Exam #1

DSM

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

provides standardized criteria for psychological disorder diagnoses

ICD

International Classification of Diseases

HiTOP

Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology

RDoC

Research Domain Criteria

Standardization

The process of administering and scoring a test in a consistent, uniform way, so results can be compared across individuals and populations

Operational diagnosis symptom

diagnosis made using clearly defined, standardized criteria

criteria

Specific characteristics, symptoms, or standards that must be met for a diagnosis of a mental disorder

why was the multi-axial system in the DSM-IV introduces, why was it phased out

The multi-axial system was introduced to capture a more complete picture of a patient’s mental health by looking beyond just the primary diagnosis.

phased out bc: people can hold a variety of disorders for example autism

Compare and contrast the DSM and the ICD

DSM: focused on mental disorders, developed by APA, predominatly used in US, more detailed and specific criteria, symptom focused

IDC: global, covers all diseases, clinical diagnosis, developed by WHO, broader catergorier, includes cultural considerations

Why do we need to categorically label psychopathology

provides a common language for clinicians

facilitates research and study of mental disorders

guides treatment decisions based on standardized criteria

necessary for insurance reimbursement and legal considerations

What are the downfalls of categorically labelling psychopathology

oversimplifies complex human behaviors

can lead to stigmization and self identity issues

over reliance on medication for treatment

lacks cultural sensitivity and contextual considerations

issues with reliability and validity of some diagnosis

psychology

study of behavior and the mind

psychopathology

study of the nature, development, and the treatment of psychological disorders

person first terminology

put the person before their condition

like a person with autism

theory

a language of science that allows us to assemble and communicate existing knowledge effectively

etiology

the study of the causes of childhood disorders

epigenetics

study of how behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way an individuals genes work

sensitive periods

windows of time during which environmental influences on development both good and bad are enhances

gene-environment interaction

psychopathology refers to how genetic vulnerability and environmental experiences work together to influence the development of mental disorders

biopsychosocial perspective

biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors are seen as influencing the development of the individual

neurobiological perspective

the brain is seen as the underlying cause of psychological disorders

nature and nurture both contribute

bronfendrenners ecological model

Human development is shaped by multiple layers of environmental systems that interact with each other and the individual

cognitive behavioral perspective

thoughts, emotions, and actions all influence one another

behaviors are learned and shaped by the environment and an individual behaviors influence and shape their environement

how come there isn’t one model that explains all psychopathology? or at least one disorder?

psychopathology is multifactorial, heterogeneous, and context-dependent.

Why is knowledge of development important to consider when discussing child pscyhopathology

Because if you know what is typical during development then you are able to tell what is atypical

how are neurobiological models, biopsychosocial models, and cognitive behavioral models simiilar? How are the different?

All aim to explain psychopathology

• Neurobiological → medication, brain stimulation

• Biopsychosocial → integrated treatment (therapy + meds + social support)

• Cognitive-behavioral → therapy targeting thoughts and behaviors

How do emotions, thoughts, and behaviors influence one another

Each can reinforce the others, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of dysfunction.

Example (Depression):

• Thought: “I’m worthless” → Emotion: sadness → Behavior: isolate → Thought: “Nobody cares about me” → etc.

scientific method

examination into a hypothesis because it has not been looked at before is NOT enough rationale for examining that question

the SM is used in child psychology research, with some key alterations

proper use of the SM can help elucidate connections between cause and effect in childhood

empirical evidence

1.) Literature searching

2.) research question and hypothesis generation

3.) method creation

4.) data analysis

5.) academic writing

6.) peer review process

rationale

reasoning or justification behind a concept, assessment, or treatment in psychopathology.

literature searching

systematic search for published information relevant to a research topic

foundation for academic writing

critical for developing arguments

confounding variables

extra factor that influences both the independent variable (IV) and dependent variable (DV)

ecological validity

extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to real-world settings.

backward searching

find an article relevant to your research intersts

look at the references in the article

track down and read articles that seem relevant to your research

foward searching

find an article that is relevant to your research interests

look and see who has cited that article and if any of those studies are relevant to your research interests

consent

before agreeing to participate all participants must be fully informed of the nature of the research

minors consent must be obtained from parents or legal guardian

assent

the child agrees to participate, must be obtained if a child is around age 7 or older

why is the peer review process important in psychology research

helps ensure the quality, credibility, and reliability of scientific findings.

what are the six parts of an empirical paper and what main information is found in each part

title and abstract- good for initial screening to see if article is in line with your research interests

introduction- introduces the research question and rationale for study

current study- clearly states what the study aims to explore or test

method- participant info, measures/ rating scales used, IVs DVs etc, procedures used

results- consists of paragraphs that identify significant and nonsignificant findings, tables

discussion- further interpretation of findings, identify limits, identify future directions

Create a research question that could be answered using

a. T-test/ANOVA

b. Correlation

c. Regression

d. Moderation

e. Mediation

1.) Do boys and girls differ in stress management techniques.

2.) Is ADHD related to autism?

3.) Does early dedication of language disorders predict learning disabilities?

why is it important to have a descriptive methods section

ensures transparency, replicability, and credibility

is it easier to ehtically particpate in research with adults or children, why?

adults because Can legally give their own informed consent.

why is it hard to perform a true experiement in psychology

t because human behavior is complex, ethically sensitive, and influenced by many uncontrollable factors, making strict manipulation and control challenging.

evidence based

the process in which a clinical psychologists evaluates all aspects of a childs functioning to determine if the child meets diagnostic criteria for a psychological disorder

psychological assesment

an extensive and nuanced process that requires a mental health professional makes a diagnositc decisions

assessment

systematic process of gathering, evaluating, and interpreting information about an individual’s psychological, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or social functioning.

prognosis

prediction or forecast about the likely course, outcome, or future status of a person’s condition or disorder

ABCs of behavior

Antecedents

Behaviors

Conqequences

comorbidity

the presence of two or more disorders or conditions occurring in the same individual at the same time or sequentially.

differential diagnosis

the process of distinguishing one disorder or condition from other disorders that present with similar symptoms

IDA

Informant

person who provides information about another individual’s behavior, symptoms, or functioning during an assessment or evaluation

normative sample

a group of individuals representative of the population for which a test or assessment is intended. It is used to establish norms or standard scores so that an individual’s performance can be compared to peers

why can’t you diagnose a disorder based ONLY on a diagnostic rating scale

because these scales are screening or assessment tools, not definitive measures of psychopathology

why is it important to recieve information from multiple informants

behavior and symptoms can vary across settings and observers, and relying on a single source may give an incomplete or biased picture.

why can’t you diagnose yourself with a psychological disorder

you can over and under diagnos

midiagnosis

missed underlying issues

risk of harmful self treatment

psychological impact

what are the differences between a comprehensive psychological assessment versus a diagnosis you recieve from a pediatrician or licensed professional counselor

• Comprehensive assessment = broad, detailed evaluation for understanding strengths, weaknesses, and needs

• Diagnosis from pediatrician/LPC = focused identification of a disorder and recommendations for treatment

why is the scientific method important in the psychological assessment process

systematic, objective, reliable, valid, and ethical, providing accurate information to guide diagnosis, intervention, and treatment planning.

what is a psycholgocial test, what is a comprehensize psychological assessment, how are they related

psychological test is one tool, compare childs scores to those of the norm group

whereas a comprehensive psychological assessment is the full evaluation process that often incorporates multiple tests along with interviews and observations.