Common Psychological Disorders: Childhood, Adolescence, and Personality Types

Psychological Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence

Childhood Mental Health Conditions

Childhood Depression

Unlike depression in adults, childhood depression manifests differently. Symptoms often include low school performance, irritability, and restlessness.

Adaptive Difficulties in Children

Difficulties in adapting to new situations, often resulting in behavioral changes, can occur following external changes such as parental separation or divorce.

Childhood Behavioral Issues

Behavioral issues are common forms of expression in children. These manifestations can be generalized or situational.

Common Childhood Fears and Anxieties

• Age 4: Fears often include the dark, being alone, imaginary beings, animals, and natural elements like thunder.
• Age 8: Fears become more existential, such as the concept of death.

Adolescent Mental Health Issues

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder primarily affecting young women, though it also occurs in prepubertal individuals, older adults, and, to a lesser extent, men. It is characterized by self-induced weight loss achieved through:

• Strict dietary restrictions.
• Use of laxatives and diuretics.
• Self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise.

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as a situation where an adult (at least 5 years older than the child) involves the child in sexual activities of any kind, including exhibitions, fondling, or masturbation.

Personality Disorders

Cluster A: Odd or Eccentric Personality Disorders

Paranoid Personality Disorder

Characterized by excessive or unjustified mistrust, suspicion, and emotional restraint.

Schizoid Personality Disorder

Marked by difficulty in social relationships, lack of warmth or kind feelings, and indifference to approval or criticism.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Involves abnormalities of perception, thought, speech, and behavior that do not meet the full criteria for schizophrenia.

Cluster B: Dramatic, Emotional, or Unstable Personality Disorders

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Defined by continuous and chronic antisocial behavior that violates the rights of others. Onset occurs before age 15 and persists into adulthood.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Characterized by instability in mood, identity, self-image, and interpersonal behavior.

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Involves theatrical, reactive, and intensely expressed behavior. Interpersonal relationships are often marked by superficiality, selfishness, hypocrisy, and manipulation.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Symptoms include feelings of importance and grandeur, fantasies of success, an exhibitionistic need for attention and admiration, and interpersonal exploitation.