Developmental Psychology

Developmental difficulties and disorders

Aim
To provide a comprehensive understanding of developmental disabilities, including their definition, impact on development, family context, and supporting strategies.
Learning outcomes

Understand the definition and characteristics of developmental disabilities.
Describe the main developmental perspectives on disabilities, including mechanistic, organismic, and contextualist approaches.
Explain how developmental disabilities can affect various aspects of development, such as cognitive, social, and emotional functioning.
Discuss the impact of developmental disabilities on family quality of life and family functioning.
Identify strategies for supporting and working effectively with families of children with developmental disabilities.

Key terms

    Developmental disability
    Classification of mental retardation
    Mechanistic perspective
    Organismic perspective
    Contextualist perspective
    Family quality of life
    Family functioning
    Support strategies

Question for thought:

Do you know any ways how to support and work with the family of your student with developmental disability?


Exercise questions after reading
    How would you define developmental disability?
    What are the key characteristics of developmental disabilities?
    What are the differences between the mechanistic, organismic, and contextualist perspectives on disabilities?
    What are the potential challenges faced by families of children with developmental disabilities?
    What are some effective strategies for supporting families of children with developmental disabilities?
    How has the classification of mental retardation changed over time?
    What are the differences between the current classification of mental retardation and the classification used in the 1970s-early 1990s?
    Can you provide examples of how developmental disabilities can affect different aspects of a child's development (cognitive, social, emotional?