Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Attachment, & Responsive Caregiving Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts related to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Attachment, & Responsive Caregiving.

Infant Mental Health Origin Decade

The 1960s, pioneered by Selma Fraiberg and her colleagues.

Mental Health Disorder Prevalence (Ages 2-5)

Approximately 16% of US children.

DC:0-5 Diagnostic Manual

A systematic, developmentally based approach to classifying mental health and developmental difficulties in children from birth through 5 years old.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services Age Range

Birth to 5 years.

Primary Founders of Attachment Theory

John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth.

First Empirical Study of Infant-Mother Attachment Patterns Location

Uganda, conducted by Mary Ainsworth.

Mary Main Contribution to Attachment Theory

Disorganized attachment style.

Bowlby's Attachment Sensitivity Period Age Range

6 months to 2 years.

Ainsworth's Experimental Procedure for Assessing Attachment

Strange Situation.

Attachment Theory Incorrect Statement

Abused children do not develop attachments to their abusive parents.

Inconsistent Caregiver Attachment Style

Anxious (Resistant-Ambivalent).

Trusting Child Attachment Style

Secure.

Ignoring Caregiver Attachment Style

Resistant-Avoidant.

Distant Caregiver Attachment Style

Disorganized.

Erratic Caregiver Attachment Style

Disorganized.

Quick and Sensitive Caregiver Attachment Style

Secure.

Attachment Style with No Plan to Have Needs Met

Disorganized.

Most Common Attachment Style in the United States

Secure.

Internal Representations of Attachment Relationships Term

Internal working models.

Not an Attachment Style in Children

Codependent.

Back-and-Forth Interactions Between Child and Caregiver Term

Serve and return.

Responsive Caregiving Definition

A caregiving approach that involves noticing and responding to a child's needs.

Not a Key Component of Responsive Caregiving

Giving commands to promote compliance.

Responsive Caregiving Contributions

Secure attachment, social and emotional well-being, and positive developmental outcomes (all of the above).

Recommended Timeframe for Responding in Responsive Caregiving

Within a few seconds.

Myelination Process

Fatty myelin cells form around dendritic axons, insulating them like plastic coating on electrical wires.

Synaptogenesis Process

Neurons connect by sending out dendritic axons to establish synapses for transmitting neural impulses.

Brain Area with Continuous Synapse Activity Through Adolescence

Prefrontal cortex.

Internal Working Model Definition

A mental representation of the self, others, and relationships based on early caregiving experiences.

Autonomous Attachment Relationship Behavior

Generally has strong emotional regulation skills and healthy interpersonal relationships.

Dismissing Attachment Relationship Behavior

Generally avoids closeness in relationships; Struggles to provide or accept support

Preoccupied Attachment Relationship Behavior

Alternates between clinginess and anger in romantic interactions; Difficulty regulating emotion; Dependency in relationships

Unresolved Attachment Relationship Behavior

Difficulties in emotional regulation, vulnerability to stress, and maladaptive behaviors (e.g., substance use, relationship violence)

Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) Developer

Mary Main.

Not a Focus of the AAI

Diagnosing physical health conditions.

Unique Aspect of AAI Response Analysis

Evaluation includes both the content of responses and the way individuals narrate their experiences, including contradictions, emotional tone, and coherence.

Outcome of Consistent Caregiver Responsiveness

The child forms a secure internal working model where they view themselves as worthy of care and others as dependable.

Parenting Behaviors of Adults with an Autonomous Attachment

Nurturing.

Parenting Behaviors of Adults with an Unresolved Attachment

Frightening.

Parenting Behaviors of Adults with a Preoccupied Attachment

Inconsistent.

Parenting Behaviors of Adults with a Dismissing Attachment

Rejecting.

Attachment State Skeptical of Parenting Interventions

Dismissing.

Attachment State That Minimizes Attachment Needs

Dismissing.

Attachment State with Coherent Thinking About Early Experiences

Autonomous.

Attachment State Showing Lapses in Reasoning During Discussions of Loss or Abuse

Unresolved.

Attachment State Showing Angry Involvement with Attachment Figures

Preoccupied.

Type of Stress Disrupting Brain Development and Increasing Disease Risk

Toxic stress.

Type of Stress Essential for Healthy Development

Positive stress.

Type of Stress Buffered by Supportive Relationships

Tolerable stress.

Combination of Protective Factors for Adapting to Hardship

Resilience.

How Diagnosis Aids in Treatment Planning

It provides a label that guides treatment choices.

Defining "Evidence-Based Assessment"

An approach that relies on science and theory to guide the assessment process.

What Distinguishes Structured Clinical Interviews

Structured interviews follow a predefined set of questions.

Why Culture and Diversity Inform Assessment

To recognize how culture and diversity can influence emotional and behavioral problems.

Purpose of Case Conceptualization

To generate hypotheses about the causes, antecedents, and maintaining factors of a client's problems.

Clinician Assistance After Initial Assessment

It synthesizes data into a comprehensive picture and guides treatment planning.

Example of Historical Factor

Exposure to a potentially traumatic event.

Maintaining Factors Definition

Internal and/or external conditions that reinforce or punish behavior, influencing its continuation of the presenting problem.

Maintaining Factor for Anxiety

Avoidance of feared situations, which is negatively reinforced by reduced anxiety.

Main Advantage of Using Rating Scales

They translate behaviors into numerical scores for objective comparison.

T-Score of 70 or Above

Clinically significant result.

Required for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Persistent deficits in all three areas of social communication and interaction.

NOT a Required Social Communication/Interaction Deficit

Deficits in academic achievement.

ADHD Symptom Settings

In at least two or more settings (e.g., home, school, work).

MDD Symptom in Children (Different from Adults)

Irritable mood can substitute for depressed mood.

Minimum Age for DMDD Diagnosis

6 years old.

Mood Between Temper Outbursts in DMDD

Persistently irritable or angry most of the day, nearly every day.

Core Diagnostic Requirement for Separation Anxiety Disorder

Developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear or anxiety concerning separation from major attachment figures.

GAD Symptoms in Children

Restlessness, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, or sleep disturbance.

Relationship Between Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder requires at least one month of persistent concern or maladaptive behavior related to the attacks.

Exclusion Criterion for Selective Mutism

The failure to speak is due to a communication disorder (e.g., childhood-onset fluency disorder).

PTSD Criterion A Involves?

Experiencing the traumatic event directly, witnessing the event, or learning that the traumatic event occurred to a close family member or friend.

NOT a Subtype of Adjustment Disorder

Adjustment Disorder with Dissociative Symptoms.

Hallmark Feature of Adjustment Disorder

The presence of an identifiable stressor.

PTSD Symptom Clusters in Children Age 6 and Younger

Children age 6 and younger require three clusters (intrusion, avoidance OR negative mood, and arousal), while older children/adolescents require four clusters.

Selma Fraiberg's Contribution

Pioneered the Infant Mental Health approach.

Attachment Theory Influence

Attachment patterns can influence future relationships.

Positive Stress

Normal and essential part of healthy development.

Attachment Schemas

An individual's internalized representations of attachment relationships..

Call and Response

Back-and-forth interactions between a child and caregiver.