Week 3: Developmental/Sociocultural Approaches to Psychopathology

Cultural Factors

Gender Effects

Social Effects on Health and Behaviour

Stigma of Psychopathology

cultural, socially and interpersonally situated

Lifespan and Developmental Influences over Psychopathology

normal/abnormal

The Principle of Equifinality

several pathways to an outcome

Paths vary by developmental stage

Attachment Theory

John Bowlby to describe the development of fundamental affection bonds linking one theory to another

Old so focus on mother-child

subsequent studies on adult-adult and new studies will focus on both parent working

"any form of behaviour that results in a person attaining or retaining proximity to a differentiated and preferred individual"

Leads to secure relationships as an adult

Attachment vs bonding

Harlow's work with monkeys using surrogate

Phases of Attachment- Pre-attachment - birth to 8-12 weeks, Attachment in the making 8-12 weeks to 6 months, clear-cut attachment (6 months to 24months) - separation involves crying or distress

Ainsworth's "Stranger Protocol" video

Securely attached 66%, Avoidant 20% few signs of distress on separation ignores mother on reunion but is watchful and inhibits play, Ambivalent - high distress on separation inability to be pacified and then rejects mother, Disorganised-range of confusing behaviour displayed

Barriers to attachment - Primary carer available, maternal depression, physical separation

Signs - Protest, despair, detachment (indifferent to return)

Attachment and Anxiety - environment, tiredness and illness, when figure is not available

Attachment and Agoraphobia - separation anxiety, proximity maintained for fear of something bad

Adult Attachment- Anxious-ambivalent - obessed with romantic behaviour, Avoidance - get lonely but avoid relationship, Secure - invested in relationship but happy to be by self.

Changes in Attachment Patterns Over Time - by adolescence "internal working models'" generalise to patterns of social interaction, adult attachment roles are broader - care-giver, multiple roles, not stable over adulthood.

Attachment in adults and mental health - stable will have stable relationships, if you don't have attachment you don't care about others so highly represented in criminals, very hard to treat as adult, they don't care and find hard to attach to therapist, those with other will have better ability to cope with what happens in their life.

Attachment and Biological psychopathology - orbitofrontal cortex - interaction is critical for greater inhibitory control of behaviour, hard wired.

Socioemotional Development and Inhibition - social interactionpositive affect attunement, need for prohibitive or boundaries set feedback and restriction, change of relationship when realises there are somethings I am not allowed to do, need to learn for adulthood.

Capsi case study image

Looked at age 26 - clear personality - undercontrolled children - clear easily upset, inhibited gained little pleasure from life - strong findings, confident were extravert, reserved were reserved as adults, well adjusted look like normal adults.

Criticism - other people are important, other things affect my life, adults it is important to be attached and be independent, Harlow studies are based on monkeys, may not be causitive.