Key Terms – Textbook
conduct disorder (CD)
CHAPTER 9
adolescent-limited (AL) path
A developmental pathway to antisocial behavior whereby the
child’s antisocial behavior begins around puberty, continues
into adolescence, and later desists in young adulthood
adolescent-onset conduct disorder
A specific type of conduct disorder for which individuals show
no symptom characteristic of conduct disorder prior to age 10
years.
amplifier hypothesis
The premise that stress may serve to amplify the maladaptive
predispositions of parents, thereby disrupting family
management practices and compromising the parents’ ability to
be supportive of their children.
antisocial behavior(s)
Age-inappropriate actions and attitudes that violate family
expectations, societal norms, and the personal or property
rights of others.
antisocial personality disorder (APD)
An adult disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of
disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others, as well as
engagement in multiple illegal behaviors.
behavioral activation system (BAS)
A subsystem of the brain that activates behavior in response to
cues of reward or nonpunishment.
behavioral inhibition system (BIS)
A subsystem of the brain that produces anxiety and inhibits
ongoing behavior in the presence of novel events, innate fear
stimuli, and signals of nonreward or punishment.
bullying
When one or more children expose another child, repeatedly
and over time, to negative actions, such as physical contact,
words, making faces or dirty gestures, and intentional
exclusion from a group.
callous and unemotional (CU) interpersonal style
A mode of social interaction that is characterized by an
absence of guilt, lack of empathy, uncaring attitudes, shallow
or deficient emotional responses, and related traits of
narcissism and impulsivity.
childhood-onset conduct disorder
A specific type of conduct disorder whereby the child displays
at least one symptom of the disorder prior to age 10 years.
coercion theory
A developmental theory proposing that coercive parent-child
interactions serve as the training ground for the development of
antisocial behavior. Specifically, it is proposed that through a
four-step escape-conditioning sequence, the child learns how to
use increasingly intense forms of noxious behavior to escape
and avoid unwanted parental demands.
A repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the
basic rights of others or major age-appropriate
societal norms or rules are violated, as manifested in symptoms
of aggression toward people and animals, destruction of
property, deceitfulness or theft, or serious violations of rules.
conduct problem(s)
Age-inappropriate actions and attitudes that violate family
expectations, societal norms, and the personal or property
rights of others.
destructive–nondestructive dimension
An independent dimension of antisocial behavior consisting of
a continuum ranging from acts such as cruelty to animals or
destruction of property at one end to nondestructive behaviors
such as arguing or irritability at the other.
disruptive behavior disorders
A general term used to describe repetitive and persistent
patterns of antisocial behavior such as oppositional defiant
disorder and conduct disorder.
externalizing behavior
A continuous dimension of behavior that includes a mixture of
impulsive, overactive, aggressive, and delinquent acts.
hostile attributional bias
The tendency of aggressive children to attribute negative intent
to others, especially when the intentions of another child are
unclear (e.g., when a child accidentally bumps into them, they
are likely to think the other child did it on purpose).
juvenile delinquency
A broad term used to describe children who have broken a law,
anything from sneaking into a movie without a ticket to
homicide.
life-course–persistent (LCP) path
A developmental pathway to antisocial behavior in which the
child engages in antisocial behavior at an early age and
continues to do so into adulthood.
multisystemic therapy (MST)
An approach to treatment that attempts to address the multiple
determinants of problematic behavior by involving family
members, school personnel, peers, juvenile justice staff, and
others in the child’s life, and by drawing on multiple
techniques such as parent management training, cognitive
problem-solving skills training, and marital therapy, as well as
specialized interventions such as special education placements,
referral to substance abuse treatment programs, or referral to
legal services.
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
A pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/ defiant
behavior, or vin-dictiveness lasting at least 6 months and
exhibited during interaction with a least one individual who is
not a sibling.
overt–covert dimension
An independent dimension consisting of a continuum of
antisocial behavior ranging from overt forms such as physical
aggression at one end, to covert forms (i.e., hidden or sneaky
acts) at the other. The overt forms of antisocial behavior
correspond roughly to those on the aggressive subdimension of
the externalizing dimension, whereas the covert behaviors
correspond roughly to those on the delinquent subdimension of
the externalizing dimension.
parent management training (PMT)
A program aimed at teaching parents to cope effectively with
their child’s difficult behavior and their own reactions to it.
problem-solving skills training (PSST)
Instruction aimed at targeting the cognitive deficiencies and
distortions displayed by children and adolescents who
experience conduct problems in interpersonal situations,
particularly those children who are aggressive.
psychopathic features
A pattern of deceitful, callous, manipulative, and remorseless
behavior.
reciprocal influence
The theory that the child’s behavior is both influenced by and
itself influences the behavior of other family members.
relational aggression
A form of indirect aggression in which harm is caused through
damage to one’s relationships or social status rather than direct
physical
harm. It may involve the use of verbal insults, gossip, tattling,
ostracism, threatening to withdraw one’s friendship, getting
even, or third-party retaliation.
social–cognitive abilities
The skills involved in attending to, interpreting, and
responding to social cues.
social selection hypothesis
The premise that people tend to select environments in which
there are other people similar to themselves.
with limited prosocial emotions
A term used in DSM-5 to describe youths with conduct
disorder (CD) who display a persistent and typical pattern of
interpersonal and emotional functioning involving at least two
of the following three characteristics: lack of remorse or guilt;
callous–lack of empathy; and unconcerned about performance.
CHAPTER 10
anhedonia
A negative mood state characterized by a lack of enjoyment in
anything one does and a loss of interest in nearly all activities.
bipolar disorder (BP)
A type of mood disorder characterized by an ongoing
combination of extreme highs and extreme lows. An episode of
mania is an
abnormally elevated or expansive mood, and feelings of
euphoria are an exaggerated sense of well-being. The highs
may alternate with lows, or both extremes may be felt at about
the same time.
co-rumination
A negative form of self-disclosure and discussion between
peers focused narrowly on problems or emotions to the
exclusion of other activities or dialogue.
depressive ruminative style
A style of thinking displayed by depressed individuals; it is
characterized by a narrow and passive focus on negative events
for long periods of time.
depressogenic cognitions
The negative perceptual and attributional styles and beliefs
associated with depressive symptoms.
diathesis–stress model of depression
A theory of depression proposing that the impact of stress is
moderated by individual risk factors and that the occurrence of
depression depends on the interaction between the subject’s
personal vulnerability and life stress.
disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD)
A DSM-5 depressive disorder characterized by: (1) frequent
and severe temper outbursts that are extreme overreactions to
the situation or provocation; and (2) chronic, persistently
irritable or angry mood that is present between the severe
temper outbursts.
double depression
An instance in which a major depressive episode is
superimposed on the individual’s previous persistent
depressive disorder, causing the individual to present with both
disorders.
dysphoria
A negative mood state characterized by prolonged bouts of
sadness.
dysthymia
(persistent depressive disorder (P-DD), or
dysthymia/dysthymic disorder) a depressive disorder
associated with depressed or
irritable mood; generally fewer, less severe, but longer-lasting
symptoms (a year or more in children) than seen in major
depressive disorder (MDD); and significant impairment in
functioning.
emotion regulation
The processes by which emotional arousal is redirected,
controlled, or modified to facilitate adaptive functioning.
euphoria
An exaggerated sense of wellbeing.
hopelessness theory
The view that depression- prone individuals make internal,
stable, and global attributions to explain the causes of negative
events and external, unstable, and specific attributions about
positive events. This attributional style results in the individual
taking personal blame for negative events in his or her life and
leads to helplessness, avoidance, and hopelessness about the
future, which promotes further depression.
irritability
A common symptom of major depressive disorder and
disruptive mood dysregulation disorder characterized by easy
annoyance and touchiness, an angry mood, and temper
outbursts.
major depressive disorder (MDD)
A form of depressive disorder characterized by five or more
mood, cognitive (e.g., indecisiveness, inability to think or
concentrate),
psychomotor (e.g., agitation or retardation), or somatic (e.g.,
weight loss, sleep disturbances) symptoms that have been
present during the same 2-week period; at least one of the
symptoms is either depressed mood most of the day, nearly
every day, or markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or
almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
mania
An abnormally elevated or expansive mood.
mood disorder
A disorder in which the subject suffers from extreme,
persistent, or poorly regulated emotional states. DSM-5 mood
disorders include disruptive mood dysregulation disorder,
major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and
bipolar disorder
negative cognitive schemata
Stable structures in memory, including self-critical beliefs and
attitudes, that guide information processing in a way that is
consistent
with the negative self-image of the subject. These cognitive
schemata are rigid and resistant to change even in the face of
contradictory evidence.
negative cognitive triad
Negative views about oneself, the world, and the future that are
characteristic of youngsters with depression. These views
maintain feelings of helplessness, undermine the child’s mood
and energy level, and are related to the severity of depression.
persistent depressive disorder (P-DD)
A depressive disorder associated with depressed or irritable
mood; generally fewer, less severe, but longer-lasting
symptoms (a year or more in children) than seen in major
depressive disorder (MDD); and significant impairment in
functioning.
CHAPTER 11
agoraphobia
A form of anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of being
alone in, and avoiding, certain places or situations from which
escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or in which help may
be unavailable in the event of panic-like or other incapacitating
symptoms.
anxiety
A mood state characterized by strong negative affect, bodily
symptoms of tension, and apprehensive anticipation of future
danger or misfortune.
anxiety disorders
A disorder in which the child experiences excessive and
debilitating anxiety.
behavior lens principle
A principle that states that child psychopathology reflects a
mixture of actual child behavior and the lens through which it
is viewed by others in a child’s culture.
behavioral inhibition (BI)
The ability to delay one’s initial reactions to events or to stop
behavior once it has begun.
body dysmorphic disorder
Disorder characterized by a preoccupation with defects or
flaws in physical appearance that are not observable by or
appear slight to others.
compulsions
Repetitive, purposeful, and intentional behaviors or mental acts
that are performed in response to an obsession
excoriation disorder (skin-picking disorder)
Disorder characterized by recurrent skin picking resulting in
skin lesions, repeated attempts to stop skin picking, and
significant distress or impairment in important areas of life
functioning.
exposure
A behavioral therapy technique for treating anxiety disorders
that exposes the subject to the source of his or her fear while
providing appropriate and effective ways of coping with the
fear (other than through escape and avoidance).
fear
An alarm reaction to current danger or life-threatening
emergencies; marked by strong escape-oriented tendencies and
a surge in the sympathetic nervous system.
fight/flight response
The immediate reaction to perceived danger or threat whereby
efforts are directed toward protecting against potential harm,
either by confronting the source of danger (fight), or by
escaping from the situation (flight).
flooding
A procedure for treating anxiety that involves prolonged and
repeated exposure to the anxiety-provoking situation until the
subject’s level of anxiety has diminished.
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
A form of anxiety disorder in which the subject experiences
chronic or exaggerated worry and tension, almost always
anticipating
disaster, even in the absence of an obvious reason to do so. The
worrying is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as
trembling, muscle tension, headache, and nausea.

graded exposure
Gradual exposure of a subject to a feared situation.
hoarding disorder
Disorder characterized by persistent difficulty discarding or
parting with possessions, regardless of their actual value.
negative affectivity
A persistent negative mood evidenced by nervousness,
sadness, anger, and guilt.
neurotic paradox
the pattern of self-perpetuating behavior in which children who
are overly anxious in various situations, even while being
aware that the anxiety may be unnecessary or excessive, find
themselves unable to abandon their self-defeating behaviors.
obsessions
Persistent, intrusive, and irrational thoughts, ideas, impulses, or
images that focus on improbable or unrealistic events or on
real-life events that are greatly exaggerated.
obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD)
A disorder in which the individual experiences recurrent and
persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced as
intrusive and unwanted and that in most individuals cause
marked anxiety or distress; the individual attempts to ignore or
suppress such thoughts, urges, or images or to neutralize them
with some other thought or action (i.e., by performing a
compulsion).
panic
A group of unexpected physical symptoms of the fight/flight
response that occur in the absence of any obvious threat or
danger.
panic attack
An abrupt surge of intense fear or intense discomfort that
reaches a peak within minutes and during which time is
accompanied by four (or more) physical and cognitive
symptoms (e.g., palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of
breath, chest pain, dizziness, chills, numbness, fear of losing
control, fear of dying).
panic disorder (PD)
A form of anxiety disorder characterized by panic attacks and
sudden feelings of terror that strike repeatedly and without
warning. Physical symptoms include chest pain, heart
palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, and abdominal
stress. There is also persistent
concern about having additional attacks and the possible
implications and consequences they would bring and a
significant maladaptive change in behavior related to these
attacks (e.g., avoidance of unfamiliar situations, avoidance of
exercise).
positive affectivity
A persistent positive mood as reflected in states such as joy,
enthusiasm, and energy.
response prevention
A procedure used in the treatment of anxiety that prevents the
child from engaging in escape or avoidance behaviors. This
procedure is usually used in conjunction with flooding.
school refusal behavior
A form of anxious behavior in which the child refuses to attend
classes or has difficulty remaining in school for an entire day.
selective mutism
An anxiety disorder involving a consistent failure to speak in
specific social situations in which there is an expectation for
speaking (e.g., at school) despite speaking in other situations.
separation anxiety disorder (SAD)
A form
of anxiety disorder in which the individual
displays age-inappropriate, excessive, and
disabling anxiety about being apart from
his or her parents or away from home.
social anxiety disorder (SOC) (social phobia)
social anxiety disorder (SOC) or social phobia A marked and
persistent fear of social or performance requirements that
expose the individual to scrutiny and possible embarrassment.
These individuals go to great lengths to avoid these situations,
or they may face the challenge with great effort, wearing a
mask of fearlessness.
specific phobia
An extreme and disabling fear about objects or situations that
in reality pose little or no danger or threat; those with a specific
phobia go
to great lengths to avoid these objects or situations. They
experience extreme fear or dread, physiological arousal to the
feared stimulus, and fearful anticipation and avoidance when
confronted with the object of their fear.
systematic desensitization
A three-step behavior therapy technique for treating anxiety
whereby: (1) the child is taught to relax, (2) an anxiety
hierarchy is constructed, and (3) the anxiety-provoking stimuli
are presented sequentially while the child remains relaxed.
trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder)
Hair loss from compulsive pulling out or twisting of one’s own
hair
two-factor theory
Theory used to explain the learning and maintenance of fears
through a combination of classical and operant conditioning.
CHAPTER 12
acute stress disorder
A form of trauma and stressor-related disorder characterized by
the development during or within 1 month after exposure to an
extreme traumatic stressor of at least nine symptoms associated
with intrusion, negative mood, dissociation, avoidance, and
arousal. These are largely the same symptoms as posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), described below, but last for 1 month
or less.
adjustment disorder
A short-term diagnosis given to individuals who react to
common (and less severe) forms of stress in an unusual or
disproportionate manner.
allostatic load
Refers to the progressive “wear and tear” on biological systems
caused by chronic stress.
child maltreatment
The abuse and neglect of children by parents or by others
responsible for their welfare. Child maltreatment is a generic
term used to refer to the four primary acts of physical abuse,
neglect, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse of persons less than
18 years of age.
complex trauma
Reactions to trauma that consist of more complex patterns
extending beyond typical symptoms related to post-traumatic
stress disorder.
cycle-of-violence hypothesis
The repetition of patterns of violent behavior across
generations. For example, persons who are abused as children
are more likely to be abusive toward others as adults.
disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED)
Disorder characterized by a pattern of overly familiar and
culturally inappropriate behavior with relative strangers, due to
social neglect.
dissociation
An altered state of consciousness in which the individual feels
detached from the body or self. This process may be voluntary
or involuntary, which can be adaptive when resistance or
escape from a life-threatening situation is not possible.
educational neglect
Failure to provide for a child’s basic educational needs,
including allowing chronic truancy, failing to enroll a child of
mandatory school age in school, and failing to attend to a
special educational need.
emotion regulation
The processes by which emotional arousal is redirected,
controlled, or modified to facilitate adaptive functioning.
emotional neglect
Failure to provide for a child’s basic emotional needs,
including marked inattention to the child’s needs for affection,
refusal of or failure to provide needed psychological care,
spousal abuse in the child’s presence, and permission for drug
or alcohol use by the child.
expectable environment
External conditions or surroundings that are considered to be
fundamental and necessary for healthy development. The
expectable environment for infants includes protective and
nurturing adults and opportunities for socialization; for older
children it includes a supportive family, contact with peers, and
ample opportunities to explore and master the environment.
information-processing disturbances
Cognitive misperceptions and distortions in the way events are
perceived and interpreted.
physical abuse
The infliction or risk of physical injury as a result of punching,
beating, kicking, biting, burning, shaking, or otherwise
intentionally harming a child.
physical neglect
Failure to provide for a child’s basic physical needs, including
refusal of or delay in seeking health care, inadequate provision
of food, abandonment, expulsion from the home or refusal to
allow a runaway to return home, inadequate supervision, and
inadequate provision of clean clothes.
polyvictimization
The experience of victimization across multiple domains of the
child’s life.
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
A form of trauma- and stressor-related disorder wherein the
child displays persistent anxiety following exposure to or
witnessing of an overwhelming traumatic or stressful event that
is outside the range of usual human experience.
psychological abuse
Abusive behavior that involves acts or omissions by parents or
caregivers that cause, or could cause, serious behavioral,
cognitive, emotional, or mental disorders. (Also known as
emotional abuse.)
reactive attachment disorder (RAD)
Disorder characterized by a pattern of disturbed and
developmentally inappropriate attachment behaviors, likely
due to social neglect in early childhood.
relational disorders
Disorders that occur in the context of relationships, such as
child abuse and neglect. Relational disorders signify the
connection between children’s behavior patterns and the
availability of a suitable child-rearing environment.
sexual abuse
Abusive acts that are sexual in nature, including fondling a
child’s genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy,
exhibitionism, and commercial exploitation through
prostitution or the production of pornographic materials.
stressful events
Events that are less extreme than traumatic events and stem
from single events or multiple or ongoing stressful situations or
events.
trauma-focused cognitive–behavioral therapy
(TF-CBT)
A form of exposure therapy that incorporates elements of
cognitive-behavioral, attachment, humanistic, empowerment,
and family therapy models.
traumatic events
Exposure to actual or threatened harm or fear of death or injury
and are considered uncommon or extreme stressors.
traumatic sexualization
One possible outcome of child sexual abuse, wherein the
child’s sexual knowledge and behavior are shaped in
developmentally inappropriate ways.
CHAPTER 13
chronic illness
An illness that is long-lasting and often irreversible.
dyssomnias
A category of sleep disorders involving difficulties initiating or
maintaining sleep. Such disorders are often characterized by
problems with getting enough sleep, not sleeping when one
wants to, and not feeling refreshed after sleeping.
encopresis
The passage of feces in inappropriate places, such as in
clothing, whether involuntary or intentional.
enuresis
Involuntary discharge of urine occurring in persons over 5
years of age or the developmental equivalent.
insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
A lifelong metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to
metabolize carbohydrates because the pancreas releases
inadequate amounts of insulin.
metabolic control
The degree to which an individual’s glucose level is
maintained within the normal range (in reference to diabetes
mellitus).
morbidity
The various forms of physical and functional consequences and
limitations that result from an illness.
nightmares
A form of parasomnia that occurs during rapid-eye-movement
(REM) sleep and is characterized by repeated awakenings with
detailed recall of extended and extremely frightening dreams,
usually involving threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
parasomnias
A category of sleep disorders in which behavioral or
physiological events intrude on ongoing sleep. Persons
suffering from parasomnias often report unusual behaviors
during sleep, such as sleepwalking and nightmares.
psychological factors affecting other medical
conditions
Psychological disorders or conditions that are presumed to
cause or exacerbate a physical condition.
sleep terrors
A form of parasomnia that occurs during deep sleep and is
characterized by abrupt awakening, accompanied by
autonomic arousal but no recall.
sleepwalking
A form of parasomnia that occurs during deep sleep, in which
the individual gets out of bed and walks around but has no
recall of such activity upon awakening.
somatic symptom and related disorders
Disorders involve distressing somatic symptoms and concerns,
such as pain and dizziness, that interfere with daily activities
and are accompanied by anxiety or worry about the seriousness
of the symptoms.
substance abuse
A problematic pattern of substance use over the past 12 months
leading to significant impairment or distress.
substance dependence
Psychological dependence refers to the subjective feeling of
needing the substance to adequately function. Physical
dependence occurs when the body adapts to the substance’s
constant presence, and tolerance refers to requiring more of the
substance to experience an effect once obtained at a lower
dose. Physical dependence can lead to symptoms of
withdrawal, an adverse physiological symptom that occurs
when consumption of an abused substance is ended abruptly
and is thus removed from the body.
substance-related and addictive disorders
These disorders encompass 10 separate classes of drugs,
including alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, hallucinogens, inhalants,
opioids, sedatives, stimulants, tobacco, and other (or unknown)
substances.
substance-use disorders (SUDs) 470
Disorders that occur during adolescence and include substance
dependence and substance abuse that result from the self-
administration of any substance that alters mood, perception, or
brain functioning.
CHAPTER 14
anorexia nervosa
A severe eating disorder characterized by the refusal to
maintain a minimally normal body weight, an intense fear of
gaining weight, and a significant disturbance in the
individual’s perception and experiences of his or her own size.
avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
Avoidance or restriction of food intake, leading to significant
weight loss (or failure to maintain normal growth) and/or
nutritional deficiency.
binge
Episode of overeating that involves both excessive amounts of
food and a lack of control.
binge eating disorder (BED) purging
A disorder that involves periods of excessive eating with a Behavior aimed at ridding the body of consumed food,
feeling of a loss of control. It is similar to binge eating but including self-induced vomiting and the misuse of
without the compensatory behaviors and has become laxatives, diuretics, or enemas. (Also see compensatory
increasingly widespread during this age of abundant fast food behavior.)
and obesity.
restricting type
binge eating/purging type A type of anorexia in which the individual uses dieting, fasting,
A type of anorexia whereby the individual regularly engages in or excessive exercise to lose or avoid gaining weight. During
episodes of binge eating or purging or both. the current episode of anorexia, the person has not engaged in
binge-eating or purging behavior.
bulimia nervosa
An eating disorder that involves recurrent episodes of binge
eating, followed by an effort to compensate by self-induced
vomiting or other means of purging. Individuals with bulimia
are also unduly influenced by body shape and weight and are
obsessed with food.

childhood obesity
A chronic medical condition characterized by an excessive
accumulation of body fat relative to gender and age-based
norms.

compensatory behaviors
Behavior shown by persons suffering from bulimia nervosa to
prevent weight gain following a binge episode. Compensatory
behaviors include self-induced vomiting, fasting, exercising,
and the misuse of diuretics, laxatives, enemas, or diet pills.
(Also see purging.)

disturbed eating attitudes

A person’s belief that cultural standards for attractiveness,
body image, and social acceptance are closely tied to the
ability to control one’s diet and weight gain.

drive for thinness

A motivational variable underlying dieting and body image,
among young females in particular, whereby the individual
believes that losing more weight is the answer to overcoming
her troubles and achieving success.

failure to thrive (FTT)

Disorder characterized by weight below the fifth percentile for
age, and/or deceleration in the rate of weight gain from birth to
the present of at least 2 standard deviations, using standard
growth charts for comparison.

metabolic rate
The body’s balance of energy expenditure. Metabolic rate is
determined by genetic and physiological makeup, along with
eating and exercise habits.

pica
A form of eating disorder in which the infant or toddler persists
in eating inedible, nonnutritive substances. This disorder is one
of the more common and usually less serious eating disorders
found among very young children.