Description:

Range of emotional disturbances from early childhood through late adolescence, focusing on etiology and remediation of syndromes of childhood (child abuse, learning problems, school phobia, childhood psychosis, delinquency); more transient reactions to traumatic reality events (surgery, physical illness). Emotional life of child in context of parent-child relationships. Theoretical orientation of course is psychoanalytic; largely clinical and descriptive (including use of films), although some empirical studies reviewed.

Texts:

Gelfand, Jensen, & Drew. Understanding Child Behavior Disorders. (3rd ed.) 1997

Grading and Requirements:

Exams: 2, each 33% of grade.

Papers:

Research Critique - evaluation of published empirical intervention in psychological literature, 33% of grade.

Term Paper - optional, comprehensive, critical review of some aspect of professional literature in child, adolescent, or family psychopathology, 40% (reduces exam weight).

Prerequisites:

Psychology 301 with a grade of C or better, Psychology 418 or an equivalent statistics course with a grade of C or better, and upper division standing.

Updated 24 February 1998
Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts
University of Texas at Austin

Some graphics courtesy of Ann Pommerehn