Syllabus Information

1. General information

1.1. Aims of the course

The subject and its expected results respond to the following approaches and objectives:

Child Psychopathology deals with the study of the child and the adolescent, not from the point of view of the «average child». Therefore, the objective is to study the differences and the main psychological disorders that can affect the person in the early stages of life.

Knowing these disorders, knowing how to detect them, intervene or refer to other specialists are issues that every psychology professional should have in their background, regardless of the specialization they choose.

Intermediate Objectives
1. Theoretical understanding of the main psychopathological disorders in childhood and adolescence.

2. Training of the student in its detection and in making decisions when it is necessary to refer the patient to other professionals (speech therapy, psychiatry, neurology, etc.).

3. Knowledge of the main evaluation techniques of the various psychological disorders in childhood, and interpretation of the results.

These approaches and objectives are aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/), in such a way that the acquisition of the learning results of the subject provides training and competence to contribute to some extent to its achievement:

Objective 3: Health and well-being

Objective 4: Quality education;

Objective 5: Gender equality

Objective 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

Objectives 17: Partnerships to achieve the objectives.

1.2. Context and importance of this course in the degree

The future graduate in Psychology, and even more so those who develop their specialty in the clinical field, must know the basic aspects of child psychopathology.

The student will have the opportunity to relate knowledge that he has acquired in his early years in basic psychology, general psychopathology, psychobiology, etc.

Achieving optimal competencies in this matter will facilitate the task to be developed later in evaluation and in the application of therapies. Tasks that cannot be carried out without prior knowledge of the current classifications of psychological disorders.

1.3. Recommendations to take this course

The student has had to pass basic subjects (general psychology), be initially familiar with the main psychological processes (attention, memory, motivation, etc.), with the bases of psychobiological functioning and the methodology usually used in psychological research of an experimental nature and basic, as well as knowing the most elementary concepts of Psychopathology.

2. Learning goals

2.1. Competences

By passing the subject, the student will be more competent to ...
(1) Know the different theoretical models of Psychology and be able to critically assess their contributions and limitations.

(3) Know the main processes and stages of psychological development throughout the life cycle in their aspects of normality and abnormality.

(26) Know how to analyze the needs and demands of the recipients according to the context.

(27) Acquire the necessary skills to analyze situations, define problems, design investigations

elementary, execute them, statistically analyze the data and write a report correctly.

(28) Being able to establish the goals of psychological performance in different contexts, proposing and

negotiating the goals with the recipients and affected.

2.2. Learning goals

The student, to pass this subject, must demonstrate the following results ...

• Ability to observe and distinguish between symptoms and signs.
• Ability to establish working hypotheses on possible child psychopathologies.
• Ability to develop a differential diagnosis in specific cases.
• Prepare practical work that includes a search for updated bibliography (in English) on specific pathologies. Synthesis and communication skills.

2.3. Importance of learning goals

The evaluation and proper diagnosis in the child acquires great importance due to the fact that its realization, in a rigorous and scientific way, will be the basis for the success of a future therapy aimed at solving or reducing the diagnosed disorder.

3. Assessment (1st and 2nd call)

3.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)

The student must demonstrate that he has achieved the expected learning results through the following evaluation activities:
1. Written test on theoretical content (grade from 0 to 10). This part will account for 60% of the final grade. The theoretical written test will consist of the development and analysis of a clinical case and five development questions about it must be answered.

2. Continuous work (grade from 0 to 10). This part will account for 40% of the final grade and will be obtained from the delivery of the reports and analysis of the cases that are carried out in the classroom.

The students will be able to carry out the activities corresponding to the continuous work as long as the attendance to the classes is not less than 80% of the teaching hours of the subject.

In any case, students will have the right to a global assessment of the subject in which they can opt for the highest grade.

In the event that for EMERGENCY AND HEALTH SAFETY reasons a change in teaching is proposed from face-to-face to blended or not face-to-face, the following modifications may be made in the evaluation of the subject:

1. Written test on theoretical content (grade from 0 to 10), the type of test will be maintained. It will be carried out by the Moodle platform on the day and time set for it in the academic calendar, but the percentages will change, and it will be 50% of the final grade of the course.

2. Continued work in the classroom will be evaluated through analysis of clinical cases, but this time via Streaming with the responsible teacher (grade from 0 to 10), and the grade for this part will then account for 50% of the final grade .

For more information, consult the Regulation of Learning Assessment Standards of the University of Zaragoza: http://www.unizar.es/sg/doc/6.1.Evaluaciondefinitivodia24_001.pdf.

4. Methodology, learning tasks, syllabus and resources

4.1. Methodological overview

Understanding of the large areas of child psychopathology and the subtypes of each disorder.
.- Class discussion of the main distinguishing characteristics of each pathology (know what to evaluate).
.- Discussion of practical cases in groups to reach a differential diagnosis.
.- Search of bibliography and practical cases about specific disorders. Exhibition and discussion with the rest of the class.
.- Basic and complementary bibliography will be recommended, texts and articles will be delivered to students.

Although the ADD platform will be uploaded both the presentations presented in class, and other documents, should be understood as a scheme or an aid, in no case they replace the texts that will be recommended.

4.2. Learning tasks

.- Theoretical exposition of each section.
.- Recommendations for readings of support.
.- Search for relevant articles. Synthesis by the student and exposure to the class.
.- Preparation of a work on a pathology, based on recent articles.
.- Preparation of a psychological report based on data that will be provided to the student.
.- Discussion of readings, articles and reports made.

4.3. Syllabus

The program offered to the student to help him achieve the expected results includes the following activities ...

1. Basic aspects of childhood psychopathology.

2. Anxiety disorders in childhood.

3. Infant Stress.

4. Child Depression.

5. Learning difficulties in childhood.

6. Attention Deficit/ and Hyperactivity Disorder.

7. Behavior disorders.

8. Developmental disorders.

9. Eating disorders. 

4.4. Course planning and calendar

.- From February to April, in the theoretical classes, the topics of the program will be discussed and some time will be devoted to discussion and solution of doubts (without prejudice to being able to go to the tutorials for more specific questions).

On the same dates, during practice hours, students will be familiarized with the search for relevant publications and choose a topic to prepare a brief essay and discussion based on articles.

.- Likewise, during this period, specific cases will be raised to be discussed in the class.

.- In May, we will work on case analysis in a more profound way, psychopathologies will be carried out and oral presentations of the works will begin, which will end on the date on which the end of classes officially coincides.


- Theoretical classes in a large group (2 hours per week) and internships per group (2h / week) throughout the semester

- Theory exam: at the end of the 2nd semester.

- Follow-up of the compulsory practices throughout the semester.

- Delivery of internship work, final date: May 15. Exhibition of the works by the students before the class.

 

The timetable and key dates of the subject can be consulted on the website of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (http://fcsh.unizar.es/).

4.5. Bibliography and recommended resources

http://psfunizar10.unizar.es/br13/egAsignaturas.php?codigo=25938