Child psychology: definition and applications of this branch

We know that psychology It is a wide universe where you can provide guidance, support and resolutions to different conflicts presented by people who face every day and whose impact generates within them negative feelings or discomforts that can accumulate to the point of explosion or even worse standardization.

Precisely to prevent both points from reaching or if they have arrived to find the best way to get back on track to the person for a better adaptation and conflict resolution, it is necessary to attend a consultation psychological. Remember that our mental health is as important as our physical.

However, Did you know that a large population of psychological patients are actually children and young people? Think about this, for anyone it is difficult to face a problem that seems to exceed it, now imagine how the little ones must feel who don't have much knowledge of the world or the handling of their emotions.

Thus, child psychology is one of the most complex, broad and important branches of psychology and in this article we show you everything you need to know about it.

What is child psychology?

Let's start at the beginning: what does this branch of psychology do? As the name implies, is responsible for studying, analyzing and intervening the behavior patterns of children from the moment of birth, until approximately the age of adolescence. The specialists in this area are in charge of treating all those phenomena, conflicts and alterations in child development at a cognitive, emotional, physiological and evolutionary level.

But it does not end there, since child psychological intervention also includes father figures and close associates of the child who have a significant influence on him. In order to teach them efficient and functional methods of adaptation, problem solving, management of emotions and education in general. After all, if the nuclear family is not involved in the process, the children alone will not show improvement beyond the office.

In general terms, child psychology takes into account two major factors that affect the problems that children manifest:

• Environmental factors (such as parental relationships, quality of life at home, parenting, stimulation, and education received)

• Biological factors, those that come directly from genetic inheritance (among these we can highlight mental disorders or cognitive compromises such as autism)

Why do children need to go to the psychologist?

Many parents find this diatribe "how do I know if my child needs a psychologist?" it is very easy to confuse or not distinguish a larger problem with a common episode of a child's tantrum. However, the secret behind everything is to look at two elements: the frequency with which the problem manifests itself and the severity of it in your daily life.

As we briefly discussed at the beginning of the article, children often have very continuous problems management of emotions and appropriate behavior with their peers, since they do not have knowledge about these. I mean, they are always asking themselves, "What is behaving well?" "Why can't I have what I want?" "Am I stupid for not being able to do this?" Since these things do not come ‘by default’ in our minds, but are taught by our parents and teachers.

So not knowing how they should act, how to express themselves, why they are punished, etc. They can trigger in them a series of emotional conflicts that overwhelms them and affect the rest of the areas of development, such as academic, interpersonal and even family.

The impact of experiences on children

The experiences we live represent a very important part of our learning, since it is through practice that we can discover the scope of our abilities, as well as the impact of our actions on others or the influence of third parties on us. But for children these can be fun or traumatic, when its consequences are almost unmanageable for them and they do not have the necessary help to cope.

Leaving such an emotional blow to their self-esteem and confidence that they can live with it for the rest of their lives. Especially when it happens in environments that they consider safe, such as home and school. Which is why some hate going to school, have performance problems, aggressive behavior, or withdraw from trying new things.

Applications of child psychology

Like adult therapy, child psychology is responsible for treating different conflicts, but with the difference that now, those who must be given the tools of adaptation and coping are children and young people. Learn about its applications below.

1. Behavior problems

This is one of the most common themes in childhood therapy sessions. Since children have aggressive, disorganized egocentric tendencies that affect their academic performance and the quality of relationships with their peers or family.

In the intervention, the origin of these behaviors is found, they are given more functional relief options (usually they perform a extracurricular activity) and parents are taught how to act to reprimand them correctly (with a system of punishments and rewards).

2. Adaptation to new environments

Children often have a lot of difficulty adapting to changes, because they feel that they lose their security and comfort, and they can also feel lost. Causing problems of confidence, withdrawal, shyness or disorientation in them. Which can be derived from a move, a change of school or even the classroom.

3. Managing emotions

One of the biggest conflicts of children is that they do not know how to handle, control and express their emotions properly. So they can constantly get into trouble and have bouts of tantrums, where they cannot be comforted. This is due to frustration and a feeling of uselessness in controlling themselves.

In therapy, work is done on the recognition of emotions, connecting feelings with triggering moments and provide tools to know how to act in the face of these, as well as release emotions in a beneficial way to the boy.

4. Self-esteem and confidence work

Due to the impact and emotional burden that children experience with frustration and adaptation to their environment, they may suffer from demotivations, low self-esteem, loss of confidence in your abilities, anxieties and in more serious cases, depression. Which results in clear low academic performance and disinterest in learning new knowledge, since they are afraid all the time of doing it wrong,

5. Learning difficulties

This type of problem can have two factors. A genetic one, where there are cognitive alterations that prevent the child from understanding or executing basic skills (such as mathematics, linguistics or fine and gross motor skills). As well as a learning difficulty due to lack of motivation and stimulation on the part of parents or teachers. Who are usually strict and demanding, but do not have the patience to teach.

6. Childhood mental disorders

In this category, it is about teaching parents to create a safe and adaptive environment that is functional for their child's unique condition. You can even give parenting tools, restraints, impulse and emotion management, teaching-learning and interpersonal relationships so that they can have an adequate quality of life.

Among the most common childhood disorders are: Conduct Disorders, Emotional Disorders, Learning Disorders, Elimination Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

7. Divorce and parental separation

Parental conflicts directly affect children. This is because they perceive that their known world is completely altered and therefore, the rest of the environment becomes unknown terrain. They can also learn negatively about how they should relate to others or become self-absorbed by the burden emotionally, they tend to blame themselves for the separation from their parents and try to change to satisfy them or return to them. join.

8. Creation of routines and tasks

Children, more than anyone else, need to have an established daily routine that is simple, functional, and enriching for them. Why? so that they can learn to organize themselves, have responsibilities, perform daily tasks and promote independence. In therapy, this is a very effective technique to control and modify negative behaviors, as well as to improve the discipline of children.

9. Imaginary friends

Imaginary friends are common during childhood and as children grow older they disappear as a way to view their cognitive maturation and the development of new interests. But some children cling to their imaginary friends as a way to feel safe and protected from the outside world, to avoid conflict or a major developmental problem.

10. Presence of bullying

Bullying is a very unfortunate reality that is increasing every day in schools, homes and the internet. Children who are abused often have weak and withdrawn personalities, so therapy works to improve self-esteem and deal with problems correctly.

While, in the case of abusive children or bully children, an attempt is made to discover the origin of their abusive tendency, which is usually based on trust problems or disturbances emotional Providing more secure and adaptive resolution and emotional discharge tools.

11. Phobias and anxieties

Childhood phobias are very common in children as they are not yet familiar with their environment and may feel insecure in the face of the unknown. But if these phobias are not controlled, children can develop other problems, such as sleep disorders (nightmares or night terrors), regressive tendencies (poor toilet training and developmental regress), or maladjustment.

12. General breeding

There is no manual that tells parents how to be good parents and it is normal to make some mistakes in the way of parenting, so much so that, on some occasions, they can get out of their control. So, in child therapy not only are children taught to have better discipline and obedience, but parents learn ideal parenting tools.

13. Vocational orientation

This is more for preteen or adolescent age children, who may now be differently disoriented. Not knowing what to do with your time or feeling unmotivated academically. So in therapy evaluations and techniques are made so that they can discover their talents and how to develop them.

Don't hesitate to take your little one to infant therapy if you see that he needs it or is recommended by the school. Remember that it is better to be safe than sorry and child psychology can offer children a healthy way to grow in the best way possible.

Bibliographic references

• Arland Thornton, The Well-being of Children and Families: Research and Data Needs (University of Michigan Press, 2001), 73-74.
• Erikson and Erikson, E and J. M. (1998). The Life-Cycle Completed (Extended version ed.). Norton and Company.
• Marmor, Robert M. Liebert, Rita Wicks Poulos, Gloria Strauss (1977). Developmental psychology (2d ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
• Siegler, Robert (2006). How Children Develop, Exploring Child Development Student Media Tool Kit & Scientific American Reader to Accompany How Children Develop. New York: Worth Publishers.
• Wood, S.E.; Wood, C.E.; Boyd D. (2006). Mastering the world of psychology (2 ed.). Allyn & Bacon.