Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disorders

Study Notes

Developmental Psychopathology

Studies disorders within the context of normal child development
Examines the relationship between child and adult psychopathology

Classification and Diagnosis of Childhood Disorders

DSM-5 splits childhood disorders into two chapters: Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorder
New names for disorders, e.g., mental retardation is now called intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder)

Learning Disability

Evidence of inadequate development in a specific area of academic, language, speech, or motor skills
Not due to intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, physical disorder, or lack of educational opportunity
Individual usually of average or above average intelligence
Often identified and treated in school
Reading disorders are more common in boys

Specific Learning Disorder

DSM-5 criteria: difficulties in learning basic academic skills (reading, mathematics, or writing) inconsistent with person's age, schooling, and intelligence
Significant interference with academic achievement or activities of daily living
Dyscalculia and dyslexia are no longer distinct diagnoses
Specifiers include impairments in reading, written expression, and mathematics

Intellectual Disability (Intellectual Developmental Disorder)

Formerly called mental retardation in DSM-IV-TR
Characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior
Begins before age 18
The AAIDD definition includes five assumptions essential to the application of the definition

DSM-5 Criteria for Intellectual Disability

Intellectual deficits (e.g., in solving problems, reasoning, abstract thinking) determined by intelligence testing and broader clinical assessment
Significant deficits in adaptive functioning relative to the person's age and cultural group in one or more of the following areas: communication, social participation, work or school, independence at home or in the community
Requiring the need for support at school, work, or independent life
Onset before age 18

DSM-5 Changes

Explicit recognition that an IQ score must be considered within the cultural context of a person
Adaptive functioning must also be assessed and considered within the person's age and cultural group
No longer distinguish among mild, moderate, and severe ID based on IQ scores alone

Etiology of Intellectual Disability

Neurological factors: Down syndrome, Fragile-X syndrome, Recessive-gene disease (e.g., Phenylketonuria), Maternal infectious disease, Lead or mercury poisoning

Treatment of Intellectual Disability

Residential treatment: small to medium-sized community residences
Behavioral treatments: language, social, and motor skills training, Method of successive approximation to teach basic self-care skills, Applied behavioral analysis
Cognitive treatments: problem-solving strategies
Computer-assisted instruction

Description

This quiz explores the diagnosis and classification of psychological disorders in children, including developmental psychopathology, and the relationship between childhood and adult disorders. Learn about disorders unique to children, such as separation anxiety disorder, and those that continue into adulthood, like ADHD. Understand the complexities of childhood and adult depression.