4. Child and Adolescent Development and Psychopathology
a) Required both years
b) Faculty: Tanya Murphy, MD, Francine Gelfand, MD
c) One year each is spent on Normal Development and Psychopathology on an alternate basis. During the Normal Development year, classical and current concepts are reviewed with an individual resident or faculty member leading the discussion of assigned readings. Particular emphasis initially is given to the development of the cerebral cortex, followed by the biopsychosocial development of the individual from conception to young adulthood. The didactic experience is supplemented by field visits to nurseries and day care settings, as well as school settings, for observation of normal developmental variation. During the Psychopathology year, the types of psychopathology encountered in infants, preschool, school age, and adolescent children are studied sequentially. Classical and current journal articles are also reviewed.
d) Other disciplines may attend with permission
e) 1 hour per week for 2 years.
f) Goal and objectives: The resident will gain knowledge in normal and abnormal development and become proficient in the psychopathological classifications of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders.
Knowledge:
- Normal motor, social, cognitive developmental milestones for children and adolescents
- Child development theories, with emphasis on attachment
- Etiology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, course and prognosis of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders
Skills:
- Differentiate normal and deviations from normal child development
- Identify developmental milestones and categorize them by the appropriate domain
- Describe clinical characteristics of abnormal development and how they relate to child psychopathology
Attitudes:
- Sensitivity to the developmental stage of the child and its variation with normalcy
- Appreciation for the clinical complexities inherent to the assessment and treatment psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents
- Awareness and sensitivity of cultural difference s among children and their families
- Respect for the contributions of professionals from multiple disciplines
