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Chapter 3
The Developmental
Psychopathology
Perspective
Bilge Yağmurlu
PSYC 430
Developmental Psychopathology
Perspective and Theory
Perspective
View, approach, cognitive set
Paradigm
Perspective shared by investigators
Assumptions and concepts
Theories of psychopathology
Macro and Micro
Perspective and Theory
Theory: a formal, integrated set of principles or
propositions that explains phenomena.
Models are descriptions of the phenomenon under
study. Models help to organize the researcher’s
thinking, surrounding a particular topic under
investigation.
Models
Interactional
variables interrelate to produce an outcome

Vulnerability (diathesis) stress model:
multiple causes work together
Vulnerability x stress
Interactional Model
Child
Development
Environment
(-ATT) x (+E)  +O
Models
"diathesis" can refer specifically to a genetic predisposition toward an
abnormal or diseased condition, but has been more broadly defined as a
vulnerability arising out of early child development.
Models
Transactional/Systems model


Nature and nurture are both fully involved in
providing a source of any behavioral development
They cannot function in isolation
Transactional Model
(C t1 x E t1)  C t2 x E t2
Where
C t1 =  (C tn-1 x E tn-1)
E t1 =  (E tn-1 x C tn-1)

All features are made up of all features that are
transformed by their interaction
Models
Transactional/Systems model


Negative child reactivity
Stressful and dysfunctional parenting
Models
Transactional/Systems

Bio-ecological model
Bio-ecological model
• Nested,
interacting
ecosystems
Bronfenbrenner’s model
of bioecological systems
D
C
A1
B
A2
A1
A2
B
C
D
MICROSYSTEM
MICROSYSTEM
MESOSYTEM
EXOSYSTEM
MACROSYSTEM

Microsystem: stands as child’s venue for
learning about the world.

Child is at the center and moves away and
toward

Mesosystem: relations between 2 or more
settings in which the child actively participates.

The number and quality of connections
betwen settings have important implications
for child’s development.
• Exosystem: contexts experienced
vicariously and yet have impact on child.
Does not directly involve the child.
D
– Example: Flexibility in work
hours: child realizes stress of
parent’s workplace without ever
being in these places.
C
A1
B
A2
• Exosystem: contexts experienced
vicariously and yet have impact on
child.
D
“Risk” and “social address”
C
A1
B
A2
factors alone don’t
determine whether or not
a child develops his
potential.
Macrosystem: blueprints for how other
components should operate.
dominant ideologies and cultural
patterns that organize all other social
institution. Influences what, how, when
and where we carry out our relations
D
C
A1
B
A2
17
Macrosystem:
• What kind of government departments are provided to
support families
• How the legal/health system is designed
Contributions of the Model:



Inclusive of all systems in which families are
enmeshed.
Reflects dynamic nature of relations
Acknowledges that each of the ever-changing and
multi-level environments and their interactions are
key to development.
Two-way interaction



Overriding ideology or cultural pattern of any
given society and family
Employer, work hours and family-related
policies
Lobbying for political and economic policies
that support parent’s roles in their children’s
development
Developmental
Psychopathology



Origins and developmental course of disordered
behavior
Adaptation and success
Integration of theories
Developmental Psychopathology
Examples of Microparadigms
Biomedical
Behavioral
- Genetics
- Infectious
- Neurological
- Biochemical
- Neurotransmitters
Psychodynamic
Psychosexual
Development
Reinforcement
Modeling
Sociological
Family
Systems
- Lower Class
Culture Theory
Cognitive
-Piagetian
-IP
-Social
Cognition
-Child’s problems as
symptoms of stress
-Family causes of anorexia
Figure. Schematic overview of developmental psychopathology in relation to
other conceptual levels. From Achenbach (1990).
Development

Change over the life span

Biopsychosocial interactions with individuals

Quantitative and qualitative change

Common general course of early development

Coherent pattern

Change not always positive
Causal Factors
Direct cause
Variable x leads straight to outcome
Indirect
X influences other variables that in turn lead to
outcome
Causal Factors
Mediating factors
Explain the relationship between variables

Specifies how (or the mechanism by which) a given
effect occurs
Causal Factors
Moderating factors
Presence or absence of a factor influences the
relationship between variables

Specifies the conditions under which the direction or
strength will vary
Moderating factors
The effect of a risk factor on a disorder may
vary across contexts or populations.

The magnitude of an effect might be changed
under different conditions.

Moderating factors
Example:
The effect of early harsh discipline on the development
of conduct disorder is reduced under circumstances of
a warm parent-child relationship.
Moderating Factors
Parental harsh
discipline
Child
externalizing
behaviors
Parental harsh
discipline
Child
externalizing
behaviors
Culture:
Normativeness of
harsh discipline in a
culture
Lansford et al. study (2005): moderating influence of culture
Moderating Factors
Harsh
discipline
Conduct
disorder
Harsh
discipline
Conduct
disorder
Warm parent-child
relationship
Moderating Factors
Divorce/Severe
marital conflict
Delinquency
Divorce/Severe
marital conflict
Delinquency
Child’s sex
•
The effect of a risk factor on a disorder may vary across contexts or
populations
Mediating Factors
Parental harsh
discipline
Parental harsh
discipline
Child
externalizing
behaviors
Regulation
problems
Child
externalizing
behaviors
• Specifies how (or the mechanism by which) a given effect occurs
Mediating Factors
Unresponsive
parenting
Unresponsive
parenting
Child
anxiety
disorder
Anxious/ambivalent
attachment
Child
anxiety
disorder
• Specifies how (or the mechanism by which) a given effect occurs
Mediating Factors
Parenting x temperament = anxiety disorder
Unresponsive
parenting
Fearful
temperament
Unresponsive
parenting
Child
anxiety
disorder
Insecure
attachment
Child
anxiety
disorder
Fearful
temperament
Parenting x temperament => attachment problems => anxiety disorder
Causal Factors



Necessary cause - must be present for
disorder to occur
Sufficient - can be responsible alone (other
factors not required)
Contributing – not necessary or sufficient
Causal Factors

Necessary cause - must be present for disorder to
occur


Sufficient - can be responsible alone (other factors not
required)


Example: for schizophrenia genetics (brain dysfunction)
Example: for Down syndrome chromosomal abnormality
Contributing – not necessary or sufficient

Example: Low SES
Pathways to Development
Developmental pathways have a transactional and probabilistic nature
Equifinality
 a given end state can be reached by many
potential means
Equifinality
Example: Antisocial behavior
• Neurophysiological
• Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) underactive
• Behavioral Activation System (BAS) overactive
• OR both systems underactive as child tries to seek sensation
• Reduced threshold for fight or flight
• Neuropsychological
• Frontal lobes
• Problems with verbal and executive functions
• Family influences
• Parent-child interactions
• Discipline and monitoring
• Temperament
• Irritability
• Impulsivity
• Sensation seeking
Equifinality
Example: Substance Use
Use affected by:
Temperament (poor impulse control)
Emotional regulation
Exposure to trauma
Modeling
Family
Peers
Poor academic performance and low involvement in school
activities
SES (poverty): Availability of substances
Pathways to Development
Multifinality
• one etiologic factor can lead to any of several
psychopathologic outcomes, depending on the person and
context.
Risk and Resilience
Risk factors
Constitutional
Family
Emotional and interpersonal
Intellectual and academic
Ecological
Nonnormative life events
Risk and Resilience

The more risks, the poorer the outcome


Timing of risk important



Divorce during childhood or adolescence
Some risk is tied to specific outcomes


Effects add or multiply
Multifinality: many risks not
Risk for onset may differ from risk for
persistence
Risk can accumulate over time
Risk and Resilience
Resilience
Positive outcome in the face of risk
Trio of protective factors:
Individual
Good IQ
Appealing, sociable
Easy temperament
Self-efficacy and self-confidence
Self-control
Talented
Optimistic
Risk and Resilience
Resilience, continued
Family
Close to parent or caregiver
Authoritative parenting
Socioeconomic advantages
Connections to support
Extrafamilial
Bonds to positive adult role models
Connections to organizations
Good schooling
Risk and Resilience
Resilience



Can occur with one protective factor or may require
more
Can occur in one domain (emotion) and not another
(academic)
Can occur in one setting (friendship) and not another
(school)

Can wax and wane over time

Can be linked to neurobiology
Continuity and Change
Homotypic continuity : Stable symptoms
Heterotypic continuity : Symptoms change with
development
An underlying impairment stays the same, but the
manifestations do not stay the same.
Heterotypic Continuity
• Anaclitic depression
– Listless, withdrawn, weepy
• Preschool
– Angry affect, apathy
• Elementary
– Agitation, somatic complaints
• Adolescence
– Affective lability, appearance, sensitivity, acting-out
Continuity and Change
Heterotypic continuity: Symptoms change with
development
Psychopathological progression: One disorder is a
risk factor for developing another disorder

E.g., eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa have
influence on neurotransmitter levels such as serotonin.
Imbalance of serotonin is related to generalized
anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression.
Continuity and Change
Comorbidity: The presence of one or more disorders
(or diseases) in addition to a primary disease or
disorder at the same time
Indicates a medical condition existing simultaneously
with another condition in a patient
Continuity and Change
Psychopathological progression
Comorbidity
Where comorbidity uses data to state a fact, the other
two concepts try to explain the process.
Continuity and Change
An example from the literature
Results:
 Continuity from one diagnosis to another (heterotypic)
was significant from depression to anxiety and anxiety
to depression, from ADHD to oppositional defiant
disorder (ODD), and from anxiety and conduct
disorder (CD) to substance abuse.
Continuity and Change




An example from the literature
Background: This paper expands upon recent efforts to advance
beyond the examination of concurrent comorbidity between
affective and behavioral disorders by testing developmental
sequences among disorders.
Participants: Boys were recruited when they were between the
ages of 7 and 12, and were reassessed annually until age 18.
Results: Each disorder showed homotypic continuity, but a clear
developmental sequence of heterotypic continuity also emerged.
ADHD was predicted by no other disorders, and exclusively
predicted ODD. CD was predicted only by ODD. However, ODD
was also directly predictive of future anxiety and depression, and
anxiety predicted future depression as well.