Introduction to Abnormal Child and Adolescent Psychology. Robert Weis

arises from the loss of loved ones and the anxiety that stems from uncertainty in nearly all domains of life. The recent health crisis challenges us to face these stressors with resilience, courage, and compassion.

      ©Nadezhda1906

      Now, more than ever, the world desperately needs caring professionals who are willing to dedicate their professional lives to serving children and families in need. Even if you do not intend to become a mental health professional, it is likely that you will play a significant role in the life of a child (if you haven’t already). Not all of us are called to be researchers or therapists, but everyone has the opportunity to promote the welfare of children in some capacity: as a caregiver, parent, teacher, coach, or mentor. This book is intended to introduce you to this intellectually exciting and personally rewarding field. Welcome!

      Goals of This Book

      This book is designed for students interested in the scientific study of abnormal child and adolescent psychology, child psychopathology, children with special needs, or otherwise exceptional children. It adopts a developmental psychopathology approach to understanding youths with behavioral, cognitive, and social–emotional problems. The developmental psychopathology perspective examines the emergence of child and adolescent disorders over time, pays special attention to risk and protective factors that influence developmental processes and trajectories, and examines child psychopathology in the context of typical development and children’s social–cultural identities and values.

      This book has four overarching goals: (1) to introduce you to the principles of developmental psychopathology; (2) to help you appreciate the importance of integrating psychological science with real-world clinical practice; (3) to emphasize the need for evidence-based, ethical treatment for children and families; and (4) to be applicable to your life.

      Goal 1: Introduce the Principles of Developmental Psychopathology

      The first goal of this book is to introduce you to the principles of developmental psychopathology and to show you how this perspective can aid our understanding of childhood disorders. Children’s problems are multiply determined and constantly changing. The best understanding of these problems requires us to integrate research from many disciplines and to apply this information to children and families in specific developmental and social–cultural contexts. Beginning students can find this task overwhelming. However, the developmental psychopathology perspective allows us to appreciate the complexity of children’s development over time and across contexts, without oversimplifying the research literature or making the field too daunting for newcomers.

      This book will introduce you to the multitude of factors that contribute to children’s development and the emergence of psychological problems. To help organize the research literature, I present each disorder across three broad levels of analysis.

       The biological level includes genetic and epigenetic influences on development, brain structure and functioning, neurotransmitters and hormones, and children’s physical maturation over time.

       The psychological level encompasses the interplay between children’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.

       The social–cultural level includes children’s relationships with family and friends, their ethnic and cultural backgrounds and identities, their socioeconomic status, and the characteristics of their schools, neighborhoods, and communities.

      Childhood disorders can be analyzed at each of these levels. However, the most complete accounts of child psychopathology usually involve interactions across multiple levels of analysis and across time. I hope this book will help you to see how the field of abnormal child psychology is interdisciplinary and complex.

      Goal 2: Appreciate the Importance of Integrating Science and Practice

      Psychological research and clinical practice are not separate endeavors. On the contrary, effective therapy draws upon existing psychological research, while the most meaningful psychological research is often inspired by clinical practice.

      This book highlights the relationship between research and practice in two ways. First, I’ve included detailed case studies throughout the text. These case studies are based on real clients (with names and other identifying information altered) to illustrate each disorder and show the complex nature of children’s problems and their impact on families. I hope that these case studies will not only help you differentiate the various disorders but also draw your attention to the experiences of children, parents, and other caregivers who are impacted by these conditions.

      You will also find special From Science to Practice features in this book, which illustrate the way clinicians use research findings to help their clients. Most of these features provide concrete examples of evidence-based therapies. I hope that these features will show how practitioners translate research into real-world settings.

      Goal 3: Focus on Evidence-Based and Ethical Treatment

      My third goal is to provide you with an understanding of evidence-based treatments and evidence-based practice. Evidence-based treatments include psychosocial therapies, medications, and prevention strategies that have been shown to be effective in the scientific research literature. To the extent possible, I provide a detailed description of each form of therapy so that you can appreciate both the theory behind the intervention and how the treatment plays out in clinics, hospitals, and schools. Then, I briefly review the efficacy and effectiveness of each treatment.

      Evidence-based practice involves adapting high-quality treatments to meet the needs, preferences, and social–cultural contexts of children and families. Skillful therapy begins with a thorough knowledge of the research literature. However, it also depends on the ability to implement this knowledge in a way that addresses families’ immediate concerns, capitalizes on their strengths, and respects their values and traditions.

      My goal is not to teach you how to conduct therapy. Instead, I hope that you will be able to make connections between the causes of each disorder and the ways clinicians might treat it. I also hope that my emphasis on evidence-based therapies will help you become better consumers of psychological services. Unfortunately, there are too many interventions available to children and families that lack empirical support and too few evidence-based treatments accessible to families most in need. Perhaps this book will help you to discriminate between therapies grounded in science versus well-intentioned treatments that are ineffective or harmful.

      Equally as important is the provision of psychological services to families in an ethically mindful manner. Parents and caregivers entrust their children to professionals, hoping that the treatment that they receive will be helpful. Therapists must rely on evidence-based interventions to maximize the likelihood that treatment will be successful and minimize the risk of harm. At the same time, therapists must respect the rights and inherent dignity of families, remain honest and faithful in their professional interactions with others, and promote justice and fairness in their practice and their communities.

      Goal 4: Relevance to Your Life

      Finally, I want to show you why an understanding of child psychopathology and its treatment might be important to you. Most students will not become psychologists or counselors. However, all students have multiple opportunities to influence the lives and developmental outcomes of children and adolescents. Maybe you will become a physician, nurse, teacher, daycare provider, or a speech, occupational, or recreational therapist or other professional who works directly with children. Perhaps you will volunteer as a coach, tutor, or mentor at a school or in the community. If you don’t have children already, it is likely that you will someday be a parent or caregiver and have the primary responsibility of raising the next generation of youths. Although you may not become a mental health professional, you can rely on psychological science and critical thinking to make informed decisions about your family, children, school, neighborhood,