CHILD PSYCHOLOGY

Introduction:
 Word psychology came from the Greek
word PSYCHE (mind/soul) & LOGIN (study).

 Aristotle believed that the mind /soul,

which the Greeks called psyche was
separate from the body.

 He thought the psyche enabled people to

reason and was the source of highest
human virtues.
 DEFINITION

 Psychology can be defined as the scientific study of

behavior and mental processes

 Scientific refers to the fact that the study of

psychology is based on information collected through
a set of systemic procedures known as scientific
method.
 DEFINITION

 Behavior
- is any activity that can be observed,
recorded and measured.

 Mental processes
- include thoughts, memories, emotions,
motivations, dreams, perceptions and beliefs.
 Child psychology

 Science that deals with the mental power

 Interaction between conscious and

subconscious elements in a child
Importance of child psychology

Better understanding of the child

Know problems of psychological origin

Deliver dental services in a meaningful manner

Establish effective communication
& Gain confidence of child & parents
Better teaching of primary & preventive care

Effective treatment planning and execution

Provide a comfortable environment

Theories of child psychology

Psychodynamic Behavioral
theories theories
 Psychodynamic theories

 Psychosexual theory – Sigmund Freud,

1905

 Psychosocial theory – Erik Erikson, 1963

 Cognitive theory – Jean Piaget, 1952

 Behavioral theories

 Hierarchy of needs – Masler, 1954

 Social learning theory – Bandura, 1963

 Classical conditioning – Pavlov, 1927

 Operant conditioning – Skinner, 1938

Freud’s Psychosexual theory

Sigmund Freud(1856-1939)
 Freud’s Psychosexual theory

 The Id

 The Ego

 The Super Ego

The Id - At birth

 Id is defined as the inherited reservoir of

unorganized drives, mostly unconscious, is
governed by the pleasure pain principle, aims
at immediate satisfaction of libidinal urges, is
immoral, illogical & lacks unity of purpose.

 Reflex action
 Primary process thinking
 Produces excitation, ids
function - to discharge the
When tension is raised,
tension immediately &
either by external
return the organism to a
stimulation or internally
comfortably constant &
low energy level

id obeys the pleasure

principle by seeking
immediate gratification
“Pleasure principle”
for instinctual needs
 The Ego - Developed in the 2nd – 6th
month of life.

 Ego is defined as the integrating or mediating

part of personality, which develops out of
interaction of id and environment and has
perception of both of the internal and external
world.

 Executive branch of personality because it uses

reasoning to make decisions.
 Reality principle
 Secondary process thinking.
 The Super Ego - 3-5 year olds

 The super Ego is defined as the latest

development of the mind embodying the code
of society and including concepts of right and
wrong, the value system and the ideals.

 Moral branch of personality.

 Conscience - truly an internal censor

 Ego ideal .
The main function of superego is to,

 Inhibit the impulses of id, particularly those

of aggressive nature.

 To persuade the ego to substitute moralistic

goals for realistic ones.

 Strives for perfection.

MIND AS AN
ICEBERG…..
 The Psychosexual theory
– Sigmund Freud

 The Oral stage – first 18 months of life

 The Anal stage – 18 months – 3 or 4 years

 The Phallic stage – 3 or 4 yrs to 6 yrs

 The Latency period – 6 yrs to 11 yrs

 The Genital stage – 11 yrs onwards

 The Oral stage:
 Erogenous zone in focus: mouth.

 Gratifying activities: nursing, eating, biting, swallowing.

 Interaction with the environment: suckling of milk by

mother, help in dev of trust

 In later period of life results in successful achievements

of needs

 Pathology: if child’s needs are not adequately met in this

stage the following traits develop: excessive optimism,
pessimism, demandingness, envy, jealously.
 The Anal stage:

 Erogenous zone in focus: anus.

 Gratifying Activities: prompted by maturation of

neuromuscular control over sphincters, particularly
the anal sphincters, thus permitting more voluntary
control over retention or expulsion of faeces.

 Maturation of neuromuscular control occurs

 Dev of personal autonomy &
independence – child realizes his control
over his needs & practices it with a
sense of shame or self-doubt.

 Interaction with the environment: toilet

training….
 Symptoms of anal fixation:

Anal expulsive personality: disorganized,

abstinence, stubbornness….

Anal retentive personality: orderly, clean,

willfullness….
 The Phallic stage:
 Erogenous zone in focus: genitals.

 Gratifying activities: genital fondling.

 Interaction with the environment: Oedipus

and Electra complex, Identification.

 Symptoms of phallic fixation:

anxiety and guilty feelings about sex.
 Oedipus complex:
Young boys – attached to mother – father as rival
for mother’s love.
Strive hard to imitate their father to win
mother’s affection

 Electra complex:
Young girls – attraction towards their father &
resent mother being close to the father

 Both recognize differences between boys and

girls.
FIXATION -:

 If mother rejects the child

individual meek, solitary, and generally
have a poor sense of self-worth
concerning his sexuality.

 If mother prefers the child, a high

sense of self-worth, which may cause him
to suffer once he enters the ‘real world’.
 The Latency stage:

 Erogenous zone in focus: none.

 Consolidation of sex roles occurs

 Interaction with the environment: focus their

energy on other aspects of life.

 Child gains better sense of initiative & starts

adapting to the adverse env.

 Absorbing the culture, forming beliefs and values

 Pathological Traits
The danger -- latency period can arise either from a lack of
development of inner controls or an excess of them.

Lack of control can lead to a failure of the child to sufficiently

sublimate energies in the interests of learning and development
of skills;

an excess of inner control, ---premature closure of personality

development and the precocious elaboration of obsessive
character traits.
 The Genital stage:

 Erogenous zone in focus: genitals.

 Gratifying Activities: heterosexual relationships

 Sense of identity develops, realizes the goals for

reproduction & survival

 Interaction with the environment: Marked by the

pursuit of relationships, Acceptance of adult role,
Social expectations & values, mature personality.

 Helps to separate from the dependence on parents

 The concept of fixation:
 If the need for pleasure at any stage is either
under gratified or over gratified, an individual
may become fixated in that stage of
development.

 Fixation is a failure of development in which

the individual seek a particular kind of
gratification even after he or she has passed
through the stage in which that kind of
pleasure is normally sought.
 Freud’s stages of psychosexual
development
State Characteristics associated with fixation
Oral (birth to 2 Display many activities centered around the
yrs) mouth: excessive eating, drinking; talking

Oral eroticism Sucking & eating predominate; cheerful,

dependent, & needy, expects to be taken care by
others

Oral sadism Biting & chewing predominate; tends to cynical &

cruel

Anal (2-4yrs)
Anal-retentive Excessively neat, clean, meticulous & obsessive
Anal-expulsive Moody, sarcastic, biting & aggressive; untidy in
personal habits
State Characteristics associated
with fixation
Phallic (4yrs-middle Overly preoccupied with self;
childhood) often vain & arrogant,
unrealistic level of self-
confidence & self-absorption

Latency (middle childhood) Demonstrates sexual

sublimation & repression

Genital (adolescence Traditional sex roles &

through adulthood) heterosexual orientation
 ERIKSON’S
PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORY
 Psychosocial theory: Erik Erikson
 Erik Homberger Erikson (1902–1994), near Frankfurt,
Germany, to Danish parents.

 Erickson emphasis the conscious self as much as unconscious

instincts.
 Developmental change throughout the human life span,
whereas Freud argued that our basic personality is shaped
in the first five years of life.
 Eight developmental stages.

The more successfully an individual resolves the crises, the

healthier development will be - Hopkins, 2000.
 Eight developmental stages:
 Oral sensory stage: 0 – 1 yrs.
Basic trust vs Mistrust.

 Muscular anal stage: 1 – 2 yrs.

Autonomy vs Shame or doubt

 Locomotar Genital stage: 2 - 6 yrs.

Initiative vs Guilt.

 Latency stage: 6 – 12 yrs.

Industry vs Inferiority.
 Eight developmental stages:
 Adolescence stage: 12 – 18 yrs.
Identity vs Role confusion.

 Young adulthood: 19 – 25 yrs.

Intimacy vs Isolation.

 Adulthood: 25 – 65 yrs.
Creativity vs Stagnation.

 Death: 65 - Death
Integrity vs Despair.
Developmental stages:
 Oral sensory stage: 0 – 1 yrs.
Basic trust vs Mistrust - hope

 Basic trust is established during the oral sensory

stage and helps the baby sleep peacefully.

 Infant forms the first trusting relationship with the

caregiver (mother)

 The infant whose needs are met, whose discomforts

are quickly removed, who is cuddled, fondled & played
with and talked to develop a sense of trust toward the
world as a safe place to be and toward people as
helpful and dependable.
 When the care is inconsistent, inadequate, &
rejecting, a basic mistrust is fostered an
attitude of fear and suspicion on the part of
the infant toward the world in general and
people in particular that carries through to
later stages of development.
 Muscular anal stage: 1 – 2 yrs.
Autonomy vs Shame or doubt
 Builds on the child’s new motor and mental abilities.

 Child takes pride in new accomplishment and wants

to do everything

 If the parents recognize the young child’s need to

fulfill capabilities at the child’s own pace, then a
sense is developed of self control of muscles,
impulses and not insignificantly, the environment,
all of which contribute to the sense of autonomy.
 However if care takers are impatient and do
everything for the child a sense of doubt and
shame is reinforced – only when care taking is
consistently overprotective
Dental Implications
 key ---child think --own choice

 open mouth if wants to, but almost

psychologically unacceptable if someone else tells
to do so.

 child --- reasonable choices whenever possible,

A child --situation threatening --retreat to

mother

 parents to be present --- simplest procedures.

 Complex dental treatment --sedation/ general

anesthesia.
 Locomotar Genital stage: 2 - 6
yrs. Initiative vs Guilt.
 Children begins to interact with the env, the motor and
language skills begin to develop.

 Wonderful word for exploring the world—"WHY?“

 They display an eagerness for adventure and play and

learn to control implusive behaviour

 Positive outcome: if parents are encouraging and at the

same time consistent in disciplining the child, he/she will
learn to accept the concept of right & wrong & not feel
ashamed.
 Negative outcome: if the child’s initiatives are
constantly curtailed by the care-giver, he may
develop a sense of guilt & may come to believe
that it is wrong to be independent.
 Dental implications
 children first visit to dentist -- this stage

 Constructed as a new challenging adventure in which

the child can experience success.

 Succeeds in coping with the anxiety

 Curious about dental office & eager to

learn about the things found there.

 exploratory visit -- mother present & with little

treatment accomplished --- a good start.

 tolerate -- separated --mother . behave better. --

Independence .
 Latency stage: 6 – 12 yrs.
Industry vs Inferiority.
 School – imp event at this stage
 Children learn to master basic social & academic skills.
 Peers become the key social agents

Positive outcome: if children can find pleasure in learning,

being productive, & seeking success – develop a sense of
industry & competence

Negative outcome: if a child is unable to do so, he/she will

develop feelings of inferiority that will be exhibited
later in life as an inability to take up responsibility
Dental Implications

 experienced the first visit to the dentist,

key --- behavioral guidance -- setting
attainable intermediate goals, ---the child
how to achieve those goals

 industry and accomplishment ---

cooperation with treatment –
obtained.
 faithful wearing of removable appliances.
motivated, --- improved acceptances or
status from the peer group.

 emphasizing how the teeth will look better

as the child cooperates -- motivating
factor than emphasizing -- better dental
occlusion,
 Adolescence stage: 12 – 18 yrs.
Identity vs Role confusion.
 Crossroad between childhood & maturity, when
adolescents begin to ask
 ‘who am I?’
 The key social agent is the person’s society of peers.

Positive outcome: adolescents who solve this conflict

successfully will develop a strong identity & will be
ready to plan the future.

Negative outcome: if not, the adolescent will sink into

confusion & will be unable to make decisions & choices
about his/her role in life
Dental Implications
 Orthodontic treatment –during the adolescent
years

 behavioral management of adolescents ---

extremely challenging.

 Since Parental authority -- rejected, a poor

psychological situation -- created by
orthodontic treatment -- parents want it, not
the child

 Treatment should be instituted only if the

patients wants it ,
 Dental Implications
 Often individuals ---- correct a dental appearance.

 feel -- change in appearances -- facilitate attainment of

intimate relationship.

 new look resulting from treatment --- interfere --

established relationship.

 psychological impact of treatment -- discussed with the

adult patient

 clear understanding of the patient’s expectations -- the

treatment.
 Middle Adulthood: 35 to 55 or 65
Ego Development Outcome: Generativity vs. Self
absorption or Stagnation
Basic Strengths: Production and Care

 middle-age --creative and meaningful work . -- "be in charge,“

 perpetuate culture and transmit values of the culture

through the family

 Strength comes through care of others and production of

something that contributes to the betterment of society, ---
generativity,

 mid-life crisis—and struggle with finding new meanings and

purposes. --- don't get through this stage successfully, we
can become self-absorbed and stagnate.

 Significant relationships are within the workplace, the

community and the family
 Late Adulthood: 55 or 65 to Death
Ego Development Outcome: Integrity vs. Despair
Basic Strengths: Wisdom

 life is preparing for the middle adulthood stage and the

last stage is recovering from it. --- integrity.

 some adults may reach this stage and despair at their

experiences and perceived failures. They may fear death
as they struggle to find a purpose to their lives,

 strong dogmatism that only their view has been correct.

 The significant relationship is with all of mankind—"my-

kind."
 Jean Piaget - Cognitive theory
(1896–1980), Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
 Piaget’s theory states that children actively
construct their understanding of the world
and go through four stages of cognitive
development.
Jean Piaget’s Cognitive theory

Pre
Sensorimotor
operational
stage
stage

Concrete Formal
operational operational
stage stage
 The Sensorimotor stage – (birth-
18months)
 Infant - Babies relate to the world through the senses,
using only reflex behavior.

 As infants progress they learn the concept that people

are entities separate from their environment.

 Learn that objects in the environment are permanent &

continue to exist even though they are out of sight or
changed in some way (infants know their parents exist
and will return to them).
 The Sensorimotor stage – (birth-
18months)
 Eight-month anxiety - is when the infant continues
to cry for their parents because they know their
parents still exist even when out of sight.

 As infants further progress they demonstrate goal-

directed behavior and actively seek new
experiences.

 It is important to have enough stimulating objects

around for exploring so that experimenting &
learning can proceed in this way.
Sensorimotor stage & behaviour

Substage • no apparent object permanence

• When a spot of light moves across the

1 visual field, an infant follows it but quickly

ignores its disappearance

Substage • A primitive form of object permanence

develops

2
• Given the same experience, the infant looks
briefly at the spot where the light
disappeared, with a expression of passive
expectancy
 • Sense of object
Substage permanence
3 undergoes further
development
Substage 4:

 The infant searches for a missing object in the spot

where it disappeared, with new actions to achieve the
goal of searching effectively.

 For e.g., if an attractive toy has been hidden behind a

screen, a infant may look at the screen & try to push
it away with a hand.

 If the screen is too heavy to move or is permanently

fixed, the infant readily substitutes a secondary
scheme – crawling ard it or kicking it
Substage 5:
 the infant nw is able to track an object that disappears
& reappears in several locations in rapid succession.
 For e.g., a toy hidden under diff boxes in succession in
front of the infant, who succeeds in finding it. The
infant is apparently able to hold an image of the missing
object in mind longer than before.

Substage 6:
 the infant can search for a missing object that
disappeared & reappeared in several locations in
succession, as before.
 This activity indicates that the infant is able to
“imagine” the missing object & to follow the image from
one location to the next.
The Pre operational stage – (18 mnths-
7yrs)
 Represent the world with words, images and
objects.

 Operations are internalized set of actions

that allow the child to do mentally what they
have done physically.

 Pre-conceptual prd (Symbolic functional sub

stage.) – 18 mnths -4 yrs)

 Intuitive thought sub stage. – 4-7yrs

 The Pre operational stage
Pre-conceptual prd (Symbolic function sub
stage):
 Symbolic activity

 Stimulus begins to take on meaning & the child

can use a stimulus to represent other objects

 Egocentrism - inability to distinguish between

one’s own and someone else’s perspective.

 Animism – belief that inanimate objects have

life like qualities and are capable of action.
 The Pre operational stage

The intuitive thought stage:

 Begin to use primitive thinking and want to know

answers to all sorts of questions.

 Trial & error – intuitive discovery

 Centration: The focusing of attention one

characteristic to the exclusion of all others.

 Conservation: the idea that an amount stays the

same regardless of how its container….
Piaget’s conservation task –
capabilities for logical reasoning
 For this reason, the dental staff should
use immediate sensations rather than
abstract reasoning for prevention of
dental probs with a child at this stage
 Trouble in understanding a chain of
reasoning like brushing & flossing to
remove food particles – prevents tooth
decay
 Child understand: brushing makes teeth
white, clear & smooth
 Concrete operational stage – 7-11
yrs
 Logical reasoning replaces intuitive thinking as long as
reasoning can be applied to specific concrete examples.

 Undergoes enormous surge in intellectual dev & able to

compare & tolerate different points of views.

 Reversible mental actions on real, concrete objects.

 Conservation tasks demonstrate….

 Allow to coordinate several characteristics rather than

focus on single property.
Concrete operational stage