Developmental PsychologyAgenda – TODAY AND FRIDAYDevelopmental psychopathologyDevelopmental PschopathologyDevelopmental psychopathologyEnvironment, Stress and ResilienceCumulative StressPowerPoint PresentationResilience and Stress: CopingAnxietySlide 11Parents are concerned…Parents:Parents are usually advised:Examples of normal fearsHaving a childhood anxiety disorderPrevalence rates of anxiety disorders in childhoodAge of onset, examples depending the studyOnce have an anxiety disorderMultiple causal influencesSlide 22Cumulative risk: predisposing and protective factorsMaintenance factorsWhat kind of thoughts anxious kids have?What kind of role might parents have?Parents, continuedHelping parentsHelping parents, continuedWhat helps kids cope better?Helping kids, continuedDr. van WidenfeltPSYC 307-100FALL 2015Agenda – TODAY AND FRIDAYDevelopmental psychopathologychildhood disorders: ADs, ADHD, ASDDevelopmental psychopathologyDevelopmental PschopathologyAbout 20 % of children will show symptoms of psychosocial problemsDevelopmental psychopathology Key principles•Multifinality: One cause can have many (multiple) final manifestations.•Equifinality: One symptom can have many causes.Given the Principles of multifinality and equifinality we are cautious with drawing conclusions about what is going on with a child (in regard to diagnosis and treatment).Some disorders can be mitigated with early and targeted treatment or interventions.Environment, Stress and ResilienceResilienceInvolves capacity to adapt well to significant adversity and to overcome serious stressSuggests differential sensitivityImportant componentsResilience is dynamic.Resilience is a positive adaptation to stress.Adversity must be significant. (ie something that some people would be overwhelmed by.)Cumulative StressRepeated stressMakes resilience difficultIs more devastating than isolated one major stress eventIncludes such things as frequent moves, changes in caregivers, disruption of schoolingWhat factors might reduce impact of stress and increase coping well and resilience to negative impact of stressors?Resilience and Stress: CopingSome factors reduce impact of repeated stress.-Family situation-Development of friends, activities, and skills-Participation in school success and after-school activities-Involvement in community, church, and other programsAlso, child’s interpretation of eventAnxietyAnxiety in childhood :-normal? -transient? -common? -related to another disorder?Parents are concerned…Jesse (9) is afraid of dogs; he didn’t want to go to his uncle’s house for his birthday party because he has two german shepherds…we made him go and then he sat in the car for the entire time…I always have to nag and yell to get Lola (10) to go to school in the morning, sometimes I just let her stay homé if I will be home anyway…Parents:Tessa (6) doesn’t want to sleep over at her friends house, she says then there is no one to kiss her good night and read her a story; I am worried that she will miss out on the fun…Jack (11) really clams up when he has to talk to new people; I wish he was more outgoing like his father…Parents are usually advised:-don’t worry…your child will outgrow their fears… -it is just a phase… he’ll grow out of it… -it’s normal at her age… just talk to her…-everyone is shy sometimes…-some kids just like being home more than others…-just be a little stricter… don’t accept it!Examples of normal fearsInfancy sudden intense noise1-2 yrs strangers, getting injured3-5 yrs animals, dark, being alone6-9 yrs school, personal safety9-12 yrs tests, personal health13 yrs + social interactionBut some children do not outgrow their fears and anxieties…Sometimes their fears or anxieties are part of a more serious disorder…The fear or anxiety can sometimes be very impairing: socially, emotionally, academicallyHaving a childhood anxiety disorderAnxiety disorders are among the most prevalent forms of psychopathology in childhood and adolescenceMost anxiety disorders do not last longer than 3-4 years; though a subset have a chronic course or change form; many adult anxiety disorders (and depression) have their roots in child or adolescent onsetPrevalence rates of anxiety disorders in childhoodStudies range from 5.7% to 20.2%Most common in middle childhood: separation anxiety disorder and simple phobia and generalized anxiety disorderMore common in girls than boysAge of onset, examples depending the studySeparation Anxiety Disorder, 7.5 years oldPhobias, usually 6-8 years oldOCD onset usually 11 years oldSocial Anxiety Disorder , teen years, onset 11 years old, intake 14 years oldPanic Disorder, usually older teens, onset 15.6 years oldOnce have an anxiety disorderLikely to be maintained…Likely to be intensified…BY BOTH CHILD AND ENVIRONMENTMultiple causal influencesEquifinality; Single cause unlikelyRisk and protective factorsNot merely additive -- but likely to influence each other, interact with each otherSo, child can develop a phobia without traumatic experience Child can experience a trauma without developing PTSDbut if already have anxious coping style and then experience a trauma, more likely to develop PTSDCumulative risk: predisposing and protective factorsGenetic (moderate)Neurobiological (increased stress hormones)Temperament (behavioral inhibition)Emotion regulation skills (deficient)Cognitive biases and distortionsEarly control experiences (mastery experiences)Parental responses (eg overprotectiveness)Extent of experience with stimulus (safe, controllable)Level of exposure to feared stimulus (limited experience or avoidance)Maintenance factorsavoidance as excessive coping styleworry and cognitive biasesoverprotection by parents and othersincompetence/deficits social/emotional/academicpunishment and failure (parental rejection and criticism)What kind of thoughts anxious kids have?Dominant schema or way information is internally represented = THREAT (of loss, of harm, of criticism, etc) This is the filter that screens experiencesIn ambiguous situations, anxious kids expect bad things to happen, catastrophize, expect others to be criticalWhat kind of role might parents have?Parent reassures and comforts child in response to his or her fear