Developmental Milestones, Mental Health, Psychopathology in Childhood and Adolescence

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• Describe the general evolutionary context of the individual
• Describe the basic models of child psychopathology
• Describe basic concepts and terms of evolutionary psychopathology
• Understand the normal development of the child and adolescent (attachment, moral, cognitive and sexual development, peer relations)
• Understand the concept of neurodevelopmental milestones
• Distinguish between developmental milestones in infancy, childhood and school age
• Describe basic concepts and terms of child and adolescent psychopathology
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in neurodevelopmental disorders, ways of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders in childhood and adolescence, modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in bipolar and related disorders in childhood and adolescence, modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology of depressive disorders in childhood and adolescence, the modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology of anxiety disorders in childhood and adolescence, ways of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise and plan an intervention for self-image and self-esteem disorders in children and adolescents
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in childhood and adolescence, ways of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in trauma and stressor-related disorders in childhood and adolescence, the ways of assessment and methods of intervention
• Identify issues of abuse and neglect and plan interventions
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in childhood and adolescent disconnective disorders, ways of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology of somatic symptom disorders and associated disorders in childhood and adolescence, the modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology of feeding and eating disorders in childhood and adolescence, the modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology of excretion disorders in childhood and adolescence, ways of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology of sleep-wake disorders in childhood and adolescence, the modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Describe sexual development in childhood and adolescence, recognise the basic symptomatology of gender dysphoria and paraphilic disorders
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in disruptive conduct disorders, impulse control and conduct disorders in childhood and adolescence, modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise the basic symptomatology in substance-related and addictive disorders in childhood and adolescence, the modes of assessment and methods of intervention
• Recognise suicidal and self-harming behaviour in childhood and adolescence and the characteristics of personality disorders before adulthood, ways of assessment and methods of intervention

Course Content

1. The general evolutionary context of the individual
2. Models of child psychopathology (medical, behavioural, cognitive, psychoanalytic, systemic-family)
3. Evolutionary psychopathology
4. Normal development of the child and adolescent (attachment, moral, cognitive and sexual development, peer relations)
5. The concept of neurodevelopmental milestones
6. Developmental milestones in infancy, childhood and school age
7. Child and adolescent psychopathology: an introduction
8. Neurodevelopmental disorders: Cognitive impairment (cognitive developmental disorder), communication disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, specific learning disorder, motor disorders, twitch disorders
9. Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders in childhood and adolescence
10. Bipolar and related disorders in childhood and adolescence
11. Depressive disorders in childhood and adolescence
12. Anxiety disorders in childhood and adolescence
13. Disorders of self-image and self-esteem in children and adolescents
14. Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in childhood and adolescence
15. Trauma and stressor-related disorders in childhood and adolescence
16. Abuse and neglect in childhood and adolescence
17. Dissociative disorders in childhood and adolescence
18. Somatic symptom disorders and associated disorders in childhood and adolescence
19. Feeding and eating disorders in childhood and adolescence
20. Excretory disorders in childhood and adolescence
21. Sleep-wake disorders in childhood and adolescence
22. Sexual development in childhood and adolescence, gender dysphoria and paraphilic disorders
23. Disruptive behavioural disorders, impulse control and conduct disorders in childhood and adolescence
24. Substance-related and addictive disorders in childhood and adolescence
25. Suicidality and self-harm in childhood and adolescence, characteristics of personality disorders before adulthood
26. Medication choices and interventions in ASD
27. Paediatric psychology: the impact of chronic illness, physical illness and brain damage