PSY-784 Developmental Psychopathology

4 semester credits

Required topics of this course include:

1. Current and historical approaches to classifying developmental psychopathology (e.g., dimensional vs. categorical)
2. Mental health disparities in diagnostic and treatment outcomes for certain children and families
3. Resilience and risk models to include adaptive and maladaptive coping
4. Overview of common childhood disorders including developmental, etiological, and cultural factors (e.g., ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, Conduct disorders, Mood disorders, Pediatric Bipolar disorder, Developmental/Intellectual Disability, Trauma/Stressors, Child Maltreatment)
5. Key concepts including contextual processes, developmental cascades, and reciprocal and transactional nature of developmental psychopathology
6. Integration of developmental science, psychopathology, and cognitive and affective aspects of behaviors involving processes related to how psychopathology develops

Students completing Developmental Psychopathology will be expected to: 

1. Evaluate the central current and historical theoretical models and empirical findings in the field of developmental psychopathology and consider how current and historical practices have created disparities in outcomes for certain children and families.
2. Apply key concepts such as contextual processes, developmental cascades, the reciprocal and transactional nature of developmental psychopathology, and the necessity of multiple levels of analysis using real world applications.
3. Describe major forms of psychopathology covered in the course including information about development and epidemiology.
4. Demonstrate understanding of the risk/resilience and the principles of adaptive/maladaptive coping associated with behavioral, cognitive, and emotional disorders in the context of typical human development.