mental health - psychological development

Psychoanalytic theory

external behavior is a result of unconscious internal working of the mind

-Ex: Freudian Stages

Social Cognitive theory

behavior is a result of conscious thought

-Ex: Operant Conditioning

Ethological theory

behavior is a result of experiences had during critical periods of development

-Ex: Imprinting

Influences on Development include

Nature

-Biological inheritance

Nurture

-Environmental experience

Epigenetics

-Environmental experience influences biological processes

potentially traumatic events that a child (age 0-17) can experience, which lead to stress and can result in trauma and chronic stress responses are called

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Normal Development of Newborn/Infant

Creation of schemes to make sense of external information

Coordinate sensations and perceptions with physical movements and actions

Primary emotions of surprise, interest, joy, anger, sadness, fear, and disgust are present

Crying is the primary form of communication followed by smiling and laughing

Emotions and ability to regulate them (temperament) form the beginnings of personality

Learning the normal boundaries of intimacy starts as a newborn baby

Attachment and trust are formed

Normal Development for Toddler

Form stable concepts and begin to reason

Begin to interpret the world around them through drawings

Egocentrism and magical beliefs present

Self-conscious emotions such as jealousy, empathy, embarrassment, pride, shame, and guilt present

Understand sense of self and experiment with independence

Learn how to read other people's emotions

Identify and internalize parental standards of right and wrong

Observe social interactions between others as intentional and goal-directed

Recognition of gender around 2 ½ years old

At age 1-4, kids become aware of "private parts" and gender differences

Boundaries regarding sexual behavior starts to be learned at this stage

It is normal for kids ages 1-4 to play with their genitals, but take note of any aggressive sexual behaviors

Normal Development for Child

Higher-level functions connected to the formation of the prefrontal cortex such as setting goals, delaying gratification, and exercising self-control

Display metacognition by thinking about the brain as a cognitive workshop- critical thinking, mindfulness

Understanding that not everyone believes in the same reality

Recognition that people's behaviors do not always match their thoughts and feelings

Become aware that laws are made by people and morality can be argued based on the intention of the action

Able to form self-esteem and belief in self-efficacy

Understanding that more than one emotion can be present

at the same time

Able to reduce stress through the use of coping strategies

Increased stress of social context in peer group

Relative lull in physical sexual development and psychological development of sexuality

Reinforce norms of appropriate vs. inappropriate sexual behavior

Normal Development for Adolescent

Limbic System (aka the seat of emotion) is fully developed, but the Prefrontal Cortex (aka the seat of reason) is not

Increased connectedness across distant brain regions that increases the ability to form abstract thoughts

Display egocentrism for the "imaginary audience"

Identity crisis where the adolescent is exploring alternatives away from parent

Parent-adolescent crisis where both parties are trying

to learn how to balance freedom and control

Increased closeness to peers > parents

Hormonal changes of puberty starts-> sexual organ changes

Formation of sexual identity

"Crushes" without interaction from ages 11-13 switch to romantic relationships with frequent interaction at ages 14-16

Increased Dopamine levels and belief of invincibility lead to high-risk sexual behavior

Normal Development for Young Adult

Identity exploration in love and work

Integrating emotion and logic-> forming emotional intelligence

Temperament and attachment styles observed in early childhood influence relationships as young adult

Increased realism and pragmatism

Create life span constructs

-Marriage

-Kids

-Work

Normal Development for Middle aged Adult

Continued increases in concrete intelligence

Reaching expert level in career

Increased participation in leisure activities

Increased attention to religion, spirituality, and meaning in life

Focus on guiding the next generation

Stress about the loss of personal control- health, children, parents

More stability in personality compared to young adulthood

Menopause for females and Andropause for males starts to impact sexual activity in late-middle age

Normal Development for Older Adult

Loss in cognitive ability with higher rates of dementia

Speed of processing and amount of working memory decreases

Intergenerational relationships found in grandparenting

More isolation, grieving, and depression

Life review

Planning for end-of-life care

Sexual interest and activity may still be present

How to use a developmental assessment:

1. Compile the patient's developmental history

2. Define the current behavior in question

3. Use a standardized guide to determine if the behavior is normal or abnormal per the patient's age range

Standardized Guides for determining normal vs abnormal behavior in kids include:

Bright Futures Guidelines

-Created by American Academy of Pediatrics

-Administered by provider questioning and observation

Ages and Stages Questionnaire

-Created by early childhood experts from Univ. of Oregon

-Administered by parental completion of intake form

Standardized Guides for determining normal vs abnormal behavior in adults include:

DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria

-Created by American Psychiatric Association

-Administered by provider questioning and observation