Actions, thoughts, and feelings that are harmful to the person or to
others
Behavior is abnormal if it is maladaptive
Psychological disorder - dysfunction associated with distress or impairment in functioning and a response that is not typical or culturally expected.
Insanity - legal term to describe person who is legally irresponsible or incompetent.
I. What is Abnormal Behavior?
Meets some or all of the following criteria:
1. Psychological dysfunction
breakdown in cognitive, emotional, behavioral functioning
Psychotic - cognitive
Depressed - emotional
2. Distress
3. Impairment
4. Danger
Our behavior is dangerous to ourselves and others...suicide,
homicide, physical/sexual abuse
5. Atypical or not culturally expected
A. Our behavior is unusual
B. Our behavior is socially
unacceptable adherence to social standards
*Each is necessary but not sufficient (with the exception of #4)
continuity hypothesis - abnormal behavior is just a more severe form
of normal psychological problems
discontinuity hypothesis - abnormal behavior is fundamentally different
from normal psychological problems
II. History of the Treatment of Children
A. Ancient Greece/ Roman Empire
B. Middle Ages (500-1300)
Children largely ignored,
mistreated...poor chances of survival
C. The Renaissance (1300-1600)
First book written addressing
children's problems
Infanticide was discouraged
Parents started becoming
more attached to their children
D. Colonial America (1600-1700)
Children still abused
and valued economically
Children allowed to be
put to death for "noncompliance"
E. Europe and America (1700-1900)
Child labor laws enacted
Writings of Locke and
Rousseau
Locke's theory of tabula
rasa
First studies of children
Trends in more human
treatment of the mentally ill
1. Compulsory Education
Contributions of G. Stanley Hall- developmental norms, important contributions
to the study of adolescence.
F. Early 1900s
Binet's intelligence
testing
Political organizations
protecting child welfare emerged
More laws protecting
children were enacted
1. Child Guidance Clinics
III. Current Child Psychotherapies
A. Psychoanalytic Theory Psychological disorders
are symptoms of underlying psychological problems or
conflicts
How is psychoanalytic
therapy different with children?
B. Behavioral Psychotherapies for Children
Disordered behavior IS
the problem
Treatment: change or
modify behavior problems through behavioral therapy
Bijou, Baer, Wolf &
Risley - beginnings of behavior therapy with children
In the 1970s- behavioral
therapies began to be combine with cognitive therapies
Today's practitioners
are more eclectic or pragmatic in their approach to treatment
IV. Psychopharmacology with Children
A. Stimulants
B. Major tranquilizers
C. Antidepressants