According to Theodore (2017), working with children and adolescents centres around which broad themes?
- Crises
- Educational concerns and learning disabilities
- Psychopathology
- Psychosocial adjustment
- Physical health conditions
- Neuropsychological conditions
What are the main things Dr Olga sees in her treatment of children and adolescents?
- Anxiety and depression
- Trauma - physical, sexual or medical
- ‘Forgotten children’ - children who have grown up with caregiver with significant medical illness
4 - Self-esteem issues
According to Dr Olga, how might anxiety present differently in a 5 year old versus a teenager?
A 5 year old may present with symptoms such as anger outbursts, whereas in a teenager the symptoms might be those more commonly associated with anxiety, e.g. avoidance
What is developmental psychology?
Concerned with the scientific understandings of the stages of growth and change that occur across the lifespan.
What are the recommendations for engaging with children?
- Setting
- Environment
- Language
- Tone
- Timing
- Length
- Flexibility
- Demeanour
- Characteristics
- Pop Culture
According to Selekman (2005) what things should we be mindful of when working with adolescents?
- Avoid diagnostic labels
- Ask the adolescent ‘what did and did not work for you’ in other encounters with professionals
- Ask open-ended questions such as ‘how do you think this is going?’ and ‘what concerns do you have about how we are working together?’
- Be flexible and willing to improvise
- Consider autonomy by inviting adolescents to take the lead in treatment goals
- Respect that our role is guide, not expert.
Which is the most psychometrically sound preschool scale?
Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development
What are the principles of quantitative and quantitative development?
That growth involves the appearance of new processes or structures, and that it involves changes in the degree or magnitude of a capacity.
What is the normative-development perspective?
An extension of the developmental perspective that incorporates changes in children’s cognitions, affect and behaviour in relation to a reference group.
In what ways are normative data used?
- Shows how a particular child’s development compares with what is ‘average’ or typical for the relevant group
- Guide you in selection appropriate target areas of behaviours that need change
- Allow you to compare information acquired from different sources
- May help you to identify key behaviours such as those that occur more or less often than expected, transient behaviours and behaviours that are relatively normal.
- Assist in research investigations
What development approach focuses on the importance of cognitions and the environment as major determinants of emotion and behaviour?
Cognitive-behavioural perspective
According to the family-systems perspective, what are the four characteristics of a family system?
- It is an open, rather than a closed system
- It is complex, with an intricate organisational structure
- It is self-regulating
- It is capable of transformation
According to Turk & Kerns (1985), what are important elements of the family system?
- Structure - characteristics of the individual members who make up the family unit
- Functions - tasks the family performs for its members and society
- Assigned and shared roles - prescribed responsibilities, expectations, rights of the individual members
- Modes of interaction - relate to the styles adopted by family members to deal with the environment and one another
- Resources - general health of the family, social support skills, financial resources
- Family history - sociocultural factors as well as to prior stressors and modes of coping with stress
- Life cycle
- Individual members’ unique histories
What is adolescence?
The period of life that starts with the biological, hormonal and physical changes of puberty, and ends at the age at which an individual attains a stable, independent role in society.
In which area of the brain does activity decrease during adolescence?
Pre frontal cortex
What did Sarah-Jayne Blackmore’s study reveal about mid-to-late adolescents?
The ability to take into account someone else’s perspective in order to guide ongoing behaviour is still development.
What are three types of assessment for children and adolescents?
- Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development
- Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children
- NEPSY-II
What is the NEPSY-II used to assess?
Children’s ability and performance in 6 functional domains, including executive function and attention, language, memory and learning, sensorimotor, visuospatial processing and social perception.
What are the three most commonly used behavioural assessments?
- Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL)
- Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)
- Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System (ABAS-111)
What are some of the limitations of norm-referenced tests?
- Culture bias
- Reporter/examiner bias
- Time required to complete full assessment
- Cost of assessment batteries
- Sensitivity to the environment
According to Dr Biggs, why should we interview children?
- Find out the child’s thoughts, feelings, behaviours
- Find out child’s perceptions of the problem
- Find out the child’s willingness and ability to participate in the treatment
- Determine relationship with family
- Find most appropriate intervention
What are some structured diagnostic interviews?
- Child Assessment Schedule (CAS)
- Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC)
- K-SADS
- ADIS-C
What is usually a good sign that a core belief has been activated?
Emotional distress
What is the downward arrow technique?
A questioning technique used to help a client identify a core belief, which essentially involves asking the client variations of the question ‘if that idea is true, what does that say about you?’
