Disorders of Childhood & Adolescence

Developmental Psychopathology

Focuses on the origins and course of psych maladaptation in the context of normal development.

Vulnerabilities

Dependence on others, lack of experience handling problems, lack of realistic views of the world and self, limited understanding of social expectations, difficulty understanding why bad things happen.

Resilience

Ability to cope when negative things happen, ability to develop normally despite significant hardship.

Externalizing disorders

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct disorder, Oppositional defiance disorder.

Brain Development

Subcortical regions develop more rapidly, responsible for emotions and impulses; prefrontal regions develop more slowly, responsible for planning and impulse control.

Conduct Disorder

Characterized by persistent antisocial behavior that violates the rights of others and age-appropriate social norms.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Defiant or vindictive behavior, resentment or anger towards authority, less severe than Conduct disorder.

Internalizing disorders

Separation anxiety disorder, Selective mutism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Persistent deficits in social communication and interaction, restricted, repetitive behavior patterns, hyper or hyporeactivity to sensory input.

Intellectual Disability

Significant subaverage IQ, deficits in various areas, onset prior to 18 years old, severity categorized as mild, moderate, severe, or profound.