Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology

The aim of the course is to provide an overview of child and adolescent clinical psychology. Definitions, key characteristics, developmental course, correlates, causes, contexts, and outcomes of various emotional, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents will be outlined and discussed. Students will be introduced to the basics of assessment, counseling and psychotherapy with children, adolescents and their families. Different psychotherapeutic approaches (humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, family systems and integrative) will be discussed as applied to the treatment of children and youth with various clinical problems. Finally, the course will help to build understanding of how psychological theory informs clinical practice.

The course includes three main modules:

1. Introduction to child and adolescent clinical psychology that will provide an overview of: historical context of child and adolescent clinical psychology, epidemiology, developmental trajectories leading to emotional, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents, risk and protective factors, main theories of child and adolescent psychopathology, diagnosis of child and adolescent disorders and issues in clinical decision making.

2. Characteristics of selected neurodevelopmental, behavioral and emotional disorders and problems in children and adolescents e.g. autism, ADHD, oppositional-defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety disorders, depression.

3. Basics of counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Main approaches to counseling and psychotherapy of children, adolescents and their families (humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, family systems and integrative)

Students will be able to describe:

1. Developmental trajectories leading to emotional, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents.

2. Risk and protective factors..

3. Main theories of child and adolescent psychopathology.

4. Process of diagnosis of child and adolescent emotional, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders and process of clinical decision making.

5. Characteristics of selected disorders in children and adolescents in particular: autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, conduct disorders, oppositional-defiant disorder, anxiety disorders and depression.

6. Basics of counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents.

7. Main approaches to counseling and psychotherapy with children, adolescents and their families.