Developmental Psychopathology Short Essay

Developmental Psychopathology
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Developmental Psychopathology
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that affects a child’s social and communicative development (Hobson, 2019). This condition often shows up during the first three years of a child’s life. Its etiology is organic, although scientists have not identified a specific pathological event associated with the disorder. Physicians can accurately diagnose autism at two years of age by examining the presence of social and communication impairments, which present as primary impairments (Beauchaine & Hinshaw, 2017). Children with this disorder can struggle with attention, focus, memory, organization, emotional control, time management, and frustration (Mandy & Lai, 2016).
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Version Five (DSM-5), autistic patients have difficulty with communication and interaction with others; have repetitive behaviors and restricted interests; and develop symptoms that affect the individual's ability to function correctly (Wendy & Turner, 2015). From a developmental psychopathology lens, ASD affects a child's social development because the disorder causes social and communication retardation.
Impact of ASD on Social Development
Experts often regard ASD as an early onset disorder that affects the child's development of social interaction and communication abilities (Wendy & Turner, 2015). In other words, ASD affects the social skills of a child negatively. Children with ASD have trouble demonstrating social-communicative behaviors like maintaining eye contact and greeting others (Spence, 2015). Their possibility of responding to other people’s communication is also low because they have trouble understanding other people’s viewpoints and actions, as demonstrated in the developmental psychopathology framework (Mundy et al., 2012).
According to Hobson (2019), children with ASD find it difficult to view things from other people's points of view. They might have a problem understanding that other people hold beliefs and desires that are dissimilar from theirs. Besides, they may find trouble understanding and predicting other people's behaviors and may be unable to understand the impact of their behaviors on others (Beauchaine & Hinshaw, 2017). Viewing things from the perception of others is a significant social skill. The absence of this social skill makes children with ASD unable to understand and mingle with others. These children may fail to understand why people are upset.
All the above social skills problems stem from the basic elements of the disorder. These include delays and trouble in acquiring communication skills; repetitive or obsessive behaviors; inability to read non-verbal communication skills; and overwhelming sensory inputs (Hobson, 2019). They make it extremely hard for ASD children to acquire basic social skills. Although ASD children desire to avoid people, they badly want to interact with others, but they do not have the social skills to do so easily (Mandy & Lai, 2016). The lack of social skills fuels these ...