Transcript Child Psychopathology

Problems in Early Development:
Child Psychopathology
Michael Hoerger
Child Psychopathology Day
Grief
Abuse
Pain
Mania
Sleep
Habit
Enuresis
ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Background
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Sleeper effect
Washout effect
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What matters most?
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1.
2.
3.
Warm
Not too strict
Empty threats
Anxiety
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Problems: fear, worries, tears
Temperament: inhibition
Parental factors: modeling anxiety,
granting less autonomy, more critical
Risk factor
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Video clip
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Depression
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Problems: sad, irritable, low self-esteem
Withdrawal from peers
Physical complaints
Adolescent concerns of body image
Suicide rates
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Matt Stone interview
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ADHD/Behavior Problems
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Problems: inattentive, hyper, impulsive,
disruptive, aggressive
Make up most of child cases seen
Boys, age 3+
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Source variability
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Video interview
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Sleep
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Problems: resist going to bed, nightmares,
sleep terrors, sleep walking
Stable difficulties falling asleep:
6 months  10 years
Nightmares among 50%, fades
Sleepwalking among 5%, fades
Habit Disorders
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Problems: frequent, repetitive behaviors
Extreme Example: Trichotillomania
Mild Example: Thumb sucking
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Don’t treat before age 4
Aversive-tasting solution
Rewards
Pain
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Half of children experience significant pain
during medical treatments, especially
dental
Younger, girls
Distract the kids!
Think happy thoughts
Often undertreated
Encopresis/Enuresis
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Encopresis: “involuntary loss of stool in
inappropriate places”
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Changes in diet, toilet training
Nocturnal Enuresis: bed wetting
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Age 3: 40%
Age 10: 10%
Age 15: 3%
“Bell and pad”
Child Therapy
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Operant conditioning
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Modeling
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Attention + rewards for positive behavior
Ignore / punish negative behavior
“House rules”
Model desired behavior + speech
Consistency
Education
Child Psychiatry
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Adult studies
700% increase in Ritalin use
Teachers/parents refuse responsibility
Effective?
Long-term physical side effects are
unknown
Psychological side effects?
Michael Hoerger
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To cite this lecture:
Hoerger, M. (2007, February 14). Child
Psychopathology. Presented at a PSY 220
lecture at Central Michigan University.