Question

Abnormal Psychology: Disorders of Childhood & Adolescence

Answer 1

Note: This is a reference for educational/studying purposes, not a question, please save all comments or questions for the end.

Answer 2

1/5 of children/adolescents in N. America have psychological disorder

\({\bf{Common~Obstacles~of~Childhood}}\)
- worries about school, health, and safety
- bullying
- peer pressure esp. for drug/alcohol abuse
- physical changes

\({\bf{Anxiety~Disorders}}\)
- children have less life experienced needed to face life's difficulties
- parental problems/separation can exacerbate anxiety
- 14 to 25% of children experience an anxiety disorder
- characterized by behavioral/somatic symptoms often triggered by stressful events/situations in their life

Separation Anxiety: can begin as early as preschool ~4%, marked by extreme anxiety when the child is separated from home/parent/attachment figure.
- may have tantrums/cry
- fear of being lost when separated from parents
- subtype: school phobia

Treatments:
- CBT seems to be the best, similar to adult therapy but focused on issues specific to children
- psychoeducation for parents on how to handle attached child
- play therapy: children play/make up stories in which they reveal their inner conflicts/thoughts
- hypnotherapy

Answer 3

\({\bf{Major~Depressive~Disorder}}\)

- can be triggered by trauma/abuse/extreme stress
- often manifests as headaches/pains/disinterest in toys/playing
- more common in teenagers than young children
- at ~age 13 boys and girls are equally likely to be ddepressed
- girls are more likely to be depressed by the age of 16, possible causes: body dissatisfaction, hormonal changes, low self-esteem

\({\bf{Treatments}}\)

- Treatments for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS):
1. antidepressants + CBT combined are more effective than they were alone
2. antidepressants alone are more helpful than CBT alone
3. CBT alone was not much more helpful than placebo

as word of caution for antidepressants, they may be linked to higher risk of suicidal thoughts/behaviors in children so they must be prescribed/used carefully

Answer 4

\({\bf{Bipolar~Disorder~and~Disruptive~Mood~Dysregulation~Disorder}}\)

- prevalence of bipolar disorder in children has been on the rise due to increased inclusion of children in bipolar diagnoses
- increase in the # of children receiving medication (1/2 receive antipsychotics, 1/3 receive antibipolars) even though many drugs have not been sufficiently tested in children
- disruptive mood dysregulation disorder: marked by severe temper outbursts and persistent irritation/anger

Answer 5

\({\bf{Oppositional~Defiant~and~Conduct~Disorders}}\)

oppositional defiant disorder: persistent argumentative, defiant, vindictive behavior, about -10% of children qualify
- more common in boys before puberty but equal after
- 80% escalate into conduct disorder.

conduct disorder: more severe form in which child violates the right of others, often violent/destructive and break laws
- usually begins at age 7-15
- often escalates into antisocial personality disorder
- 1/3 have ADHD

sub-types:
overt-destructive: openly aggressive and confrontational ex. getting into fights
overt-nondestructive: offensive but nondestructive ex. lying
covert-destructive: secret destructive behavior ex. property damage, arson
covert-nondestructive: secretly commit non-aggressive behaviors ex. truancy
relational aggression: individual is socially isolated and slanders others/lies/manipulates people

\({\bf{Factors}}\)
- most common: parental abuse/neglect/ family hostility
- parents who also have psychological disorders or abuse substances
- poverty
- community violence
- trauma

Answer 6

\({\bf{Treatments}}\)

Sociocultural:
- parent-child interaction therapy (used with pre-schoolers): teaching parents to work with child, set limits, and discipline them accordingly + teaching child social skills. often uses video modeling as example
- parent-management training (used with school-age children): parents are taught to deal with children, reward good behaviors, de-incentivize bad behaviors
- treatment foster care: delinquent children are held in foster care where they receive training/treatment/moral support
- juvenile training centers: institutionalization of delinquents which has not been successful and may even reinforce bad behaviors

Child-focused:
- problem-solving skills training: modeling, role playing, and rewards to help children think constructively and perform better, social behaviors
- coping power program: group sessions for children to manage anger/social problems
- stimulant drugs may reduce bad behaviors
- prevention programs: try to change unfavorable conditions before conduct disorder develops

Answer 7

\({\bf{Elimination~Disorders}}\)

eneuresis: involuntary bed-wedding, requires 5+ age to diagnose. may be caused by anxiety/underlying conflicts, negative family interactions, bad toilet training, muscle incapacity.
- can be treated with behavioral bell-and-battery technique or dry-bed training

encopresis: involuntary defecation. can be caused by poor toilet training, stress, or medical problems
- can be treated with medication/behavioral therapy, biofeedback training, family therapy

Answer 8

Anyway, that's all for this topic, I hope it was of use to you! If you have any questions I will address them to the best of my ability (you may have better luck contacting me on my main account, Vocaloid)

Source: Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology, Eighth Edition, Ronald J. Comer