Читать книгу Case Studies in Abnormal Child and Adolescent Psychology - Robert Weis - Страница 10

Developmental psychopathology is a multidisciplinary approach to understanding normal and abnormal development over the lifespan. It conceptualizes development in terms of risk and protective factors that place individuals on developmental pathways toward adaptation or maladaptation (Cicchetti & Rogosch, 2002).

Developmental psychopathologists are interested in continuity versus change across development. Almost a century ago, Sigmund Freud wrote about the difficulty in predicting children’s development over time:

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So long as we trace development from its final outcome backwards, the chain of events appears continuous. … But if we proceed the reverse way, if we start from the premises and try to follow these up to the final result, we notice at once that there might have been another result and we might have been just as well able to understand and explain the latter. Hence the chain of causation can always be recognized with certainty if we follow the line of analysis backwards, whereas to predict it is impossible. (Sroufe & Rutter, 1984)

Read the following scenarios and answer each question. What principle of developmental psychopathology does each scenario illustrate?

1 Carlos is a 14-year-old boy with a long-standing history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He began to show problems with hyperactivity and impulsivity as a preschooler. In early elementary school, he also began exhibiting poor attention and concentration. Now in the eighth grade, Carlos continues to show all of these symptoms. He manages these symptoms with medication and behavioral interventions administered by his parents and teachers.What principle of developmental psychopathology does Carlos illustrate?

2 Haley is a 17-year-old high school student with a history of separation anxiety disorder. When Haley was a toddler, she followed her parents around the house and cried when they left her with a babysitter. Haley refused to attend preschool and was resistant to begin kindergarten when she turned 6 years old. In early elementary school, Haley’s separation anxiety decreased, but she continued to worry about “bad things” happening to her parents when she was separated from them.Now in high school, Haley reports no significant problems with separation anxiety. However, in the past 6 months, she has experienced several panic attacks—intense episodes of fear characterized by rapid heart rate, shallow breathing, and intense distress. Her pediatrician confirmed that these attacks are not caused by a medical problem. Her mother has sought help from a psychologist who specializes in adolescent anxiety disorders.What principle of developmental psychopathology does Haley illustrate?

3 The juvenile court in one county hears cases for approximately 75 youths and families each month. Although the children who appear before the court come from different backgrounds and have different histories, they almost always show problems with antisocial behavior or substance use.What principle of developmental psychopathology does this scenario illustrate?

4 Adeba is a social worker who is employed by Child Protective Services. Adeba is assigned a new case, an 11-year-old girl who experienced repeated sexual abuse by her stepfather. Adeba wants to determine the girl’s prognosis, but she can’t predict the girl’s future with much certainty.What principle of developmental psychopathology does she illustrate?