What is Developmental Psychopathology?

What is Developmental Psychopathology?

Developmental Psychopathology is:

The study of the origins and course of emotional and behavioral disorders (often referred to as the Etiology of mental illness).

You can think of it simply, as the idea that all mental illness develops. No one wakes up one morning, and is suddenly Bipolar! That's just not how it works. Instead, we develop like onions. We simply add layers. So – when you turn 18 - everything that happened earlier still counts. We each have a Developmental History.

Things that are a part of our Developmental History: (And this list is not exhaustive):

1. Our genetics
2. Our birth (was there any trauma?)
3. Our mother's experiences while we were in the womb
4. The socioeconomic status (SES) of our family unit
5. Our family unit, including whether we have two parents, siblings, extended family, and the order in which we are born (first child, middle, youngest, etc.)
6. The neighborhood we live in
7. The housing we live in
8. The quality of our school experiences and the quality of our school
9. Our peers, and their influence on us
10. Any illnesses or issues we have growing up
11. Any developmental trauma – like Child Abuse/Maltreatment, witnessing violence, etc.
12. Any trauma that occurs to our immediate family unit – like divorce of our parents, loss of income, etc. This is the influence of major Life Experiences/Events
13. Parental Psychopathology – do any of those participating in our upbringing, have mental illness? And what type(s)?

Basic Ideas in Developmental Psychopathology

1. Focus on developmental trajectories, (also referred to as “Developmental Lines”).

Equifinality: Very different starting points can lead to the same end point.

Example: There are several pathways to the diagnosis of Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Some will involve parents with mental illness, growing up in poverty, negative peer associations, trauma, neighborhood issues, education, etc. Many different combinations of these factors can lead to Anti-Social Personality Disorder.

So, you can start in many different places with many different circumstances, and still end up with this mental illness. That's, “Equifinality.”

Multifinality: The same starting point can lead to many different end points.

Example: Two girls, from the same neighborhood, the same SES, with very similar parents, and very similar personalities, etc., can end up developing very differently. You can have a very similar beginning in life, and reach a very different endpoint. And obviously, this isn't just true of mental illness.

Maybe two girls grow up next to one another. One has a talent for gymnastics, the other likes soccer. Despite similar beginnings, due to peer pressures, competition anxiety, and her choice of sport, the young gymnast, develops Bulimia. The soccer player doesn't develop any issue.

So, you can start in essentially the same place, and end up in very different circumstances. That's, “Multifinality.”

2. Focus on attributes that might protect us, or predispose us, to developing mental illness. (PS – the same can be done with some physical illnesses).

Risk Factor: any characteristic, condition, or circumstance that increases the likelihood developing a disorder.

Examples of Risk factors:

1. genetic – biological parent with a mental illness
2. familial – hostile emotional climate in the home
3. socioeconomic – poverty
4. cultural – exposure to delinquent subculture in neighborhood

5. developmental - insecure attachment in infancy

Protective Factor: any characteristic, condition, or circumstance that decreases the likelihood of developing a disorder.

Examples of Protective factors:

1. genetic – easy temperament
2. familial – stable, dependable, loving parent(s)
3. socioeconomic – good income
4. cultural – good neighborhood/community – supportive
5. developmental – secure attachment in infancy

Risk factors and protective factors interact in complex ways. This is why the same set of risk factors for two people can, over the course of development, lead to different outcomes. Lots of branching can occur. Our lives aren't straight lines!

3. Focus on Resiliency: People who have risk factors for a disorder, but who do not go on to develop that condition. Even many risk factors. Why don't they develop the condition that might be predicted? They are showing evidence of being “resilient.”

Many things can contribute to Resiliency. Longitudinal studies have shown some of the following are potentially important, but it's also vital to keep in mind, that resiliency is an “individual” trait:

a. Intelligence (although, keep in mind, that average to above average, tends to be “protective.”), and quality education

b. Having one very strong, secure attachment to an adult (not necessarily a parent)

c. Optimism: considered a basic personality trait

d. Talent: athletic talent is valued in many societies, and can lead to opportunities

e. Good looks: however the particular society/culture, defines this

Looking at resilient individuals could potentially help us with Prevention – finding ways to nurture the positive, and create resiliency (or something like it), to help prevent the development of mental illness. For example, not everyone is super optimistic, but different therapies can teach people how to focus more on positive issues in their lives, and less on negative ones. To see their lives in an more positive light.

4. Focus on resolution of common developmental tasks: Disorders may have their roots in the way individuals resolve, or fail to resolve, important developmental issues.

To study this, involves 3 tasks which bring together the study of normal and abnormal development.

a. Define the developmental task/accomplishment

b. Identify “normal” resolutions/patterns

c. Examine “deviations” from what would be considered a normal resolution

There are potentially many different examples here. Temper tantrums and aggression. Learning to read at the typical age. Learning to socialize/overcoming shyness. Forming friendships. Coping with the entry into Adolescence. The question isn't really about the particular task, or even if the child does eventually resolve it – it's in the approach, that good information can be found.