Child and Adolescent Psychology

Child and Adolescent Psychology (Pedagogy)

Childhood and adolescence lay the groundwork for adulthood. During this period, the foundations of children’s social skills and emotional world are established. These are also the first milestones of a personality structure that will last a lifetime.

The challenges encountered during childhood and adolescence become even more important when considered from this perspective.

At Daviva Health Group’s Child and Adolescent Psychology (Pedagogy) Department, we closely monitor children’s mental, emotional, and social development. In this process, we aim not only to solve our children’s problems but also to reveal their potential.

What Problems Are Seen During Childhood and Adolescence?

School Age and Learning Processes

School Anxiety

School anxiety, or school phobia, can arise in children for different reasons.

• This is a common condition in children who are starting school for the first time. It may develop from the child’s normal separation anxiety or fear of being separated from their mother and father. In most cases, it passes on its own a few days after starting school.
• In older children, school anxiety may be based on a real fear of what might happen to them at school. This may be due to an abusive teacher or peer. In this case, it is important to talk with your child to learn what is causing their fears.
• Sometimes, even if the child likes school, it may still be difficult to be separated from their mother and father.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

It is a developmental disorder that begins in early childhood. These children have difficulty concentrating. Their attention is also easily distracted. Sometimes they are overly active and may be impatient when waiting their turn. This can negatively affect both their education and their relationships with their friends. Therapies such as behavioral therapy are effective in treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Learning Difficulties

Learning difficulties are neurologically based processing problems that affect not only basic academic skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics, but also organizational and memory skills. Learning difficulties are not a measure of intelligence in children. Children with learning difficulties are generally as intelligent as their peers, but they process information differently.

There are different types of learning difficulties

• Dyslexia: Affects reading, writing, and language processing.
• Dyscalculia: Causes mathematical difficulties such as understanding numbers, time, and money.
• Dysgraphia: Causes difficulty with writing, including handwriting and organizing ideas.
• Dyspraxia: Affects motor skills, coordination, and sometimes sensory processing.

Learning difficulties are not conditions that can be completely cured. Individualized education programs form the first step of treatment. With the right treatment approach, children can continue their education and lives normally.

Exam Anxiety

Exam anxiety is common in children. In fact, this is normal, but in some children this anxiety can reach the level of a panic attack.

The symptoms of exam anxiety in children may be as follows

• Physical symptoms such as headache
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Dizziness may occur.

In addition to these symptoms

• Avoiding studying or school
• Decreased appetite
• Disruption in sleep patterns
• Increased irritability

Cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation exercises, and changing study routines are the first-line options in the treatment of exam anxiety.

Adolescence

Identity Search and Self-Confidence

• Adolescence is a critical period for the search for independence, connecting with peers, and developing personal values. This process often leads to identity crises, low self-esteem, and social anxiety as adolescents evaluate themselves through their peers, families, and social media.
• Young people often experiment with different roles, values, and beliefs. This leads to internal conflict and confusion about who they are.
• Self-confidence often decreases due to peer pressure, school pressure, and the intense need to adapt, which can lead to depression and anxiety.
• Young people are extremely self-conscious and feel as though they are constantly being judged by others.
• Self-assessment is heavily influenced by social media and peer comparison rather than internal validation.

For those experiencing identity search and self-confidence problems, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and family counseling are among the first options.

Family Communication Problems

Family communication problems in adolescents usually stem from the search for freedom or autonomy. This leads to negative communication, reduced emotional sharing, and increased conflict in adolescents. This situation usually arises from a gap between adolescent needs and parental control. These problems can cause increased loneliness, depression, and low self-esteem in adolescents.

• Children in adolescence often shift from open dialogue to hostile, angry interactions.
• Adolescents naturally seek more independence. This may lead them to withdraw from communication with family members.
• Adolescents often resist rigid, high-compliance environments where their own truth is devalued. This leads to resistance and silence.
• Adolescents often struggle to discuss complex issues such as health problems or emotional struggles and prefer to protect family members from their concerns.
• Adolescents develop unique values and beliefs that may conflict with their parents’ perspectives.
• As the focus shifts to peers, adolescents may find communicating with their parents unimportant.
• Spending increasing time in front of the television, computer, or game console can reduce face-to-face communication.

Poor, tense, or insufficient communication can lead to the following in adolescents;

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insecurity
• Disobedience
• Substance use

Digital Addiction and Social Media Problems

• Intensive social media use is closely associated with depression, anxiety, social comparison, and loneliness.
• Long screen time spent on social media or digital games can lead to sleep disorders, sedentary living, and even physical symptoms such as eye strain or carpal tunnel syndrome.
• A decrease in social skills may occur.

Families have important responsibilities in such situations.

• Limiting screen time, especially before bedtime, is recommended to improve sleep and reduce anxiety.
• Physical activity and face-to-face social interaction should be encouraged. This can help reduce dependence on digital platforms

Therapies Applied in the Child and Adolescent Psychology (Pedagogy) Department

Play therapy: An age-appropriate, evidence-based psychotherapy method. In play therapy, children can develop their internal and real-life experiences. Play therapy allows children to express and regulate emotional responses, communicate, practice new skills, and master them.

Cognitive behavioral therapy: A psychotherapy method used in children, adolescents, and adults. It is based on the idea that thoughts and behaviors are interconnected. It helps people understand and challenge thoughts that negatively affect their behavior. It is usually carried out over a set number of sessions and is a solution-focused type of therapy.

Acceptance and commitment therapy: An evidence-based approach used in children aged 5-12 to increase emotional flexibility and help them cope with anxiety, anger, and difficult emotions.

Some tests used for evaluation:

WISC 4 intelligence test: An individually administered cognitive assessment test for children aged 6-16. The scores obtained from this test can be used as a clinical tool to diagnose learning difficulties and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The WISC 4 intelligence test is administered one-on-one by a psychologist qualified to apply this test. The duration of the test may vary depending on the child, and it usually takes between 45 and 90 minutes.

Denver developmental screening test: Used to determine the developmental level of children aged 0-6. This assessment provides information about the child’s gross motor skills, language skills, fine motor skills, and personal social skills.

Child psychological functioning assessment test: The Rorschach test is a projective method applied to children from the age of 3, examining the psychic structure, emotional conflicts, defense mechanisms, and ego functioning on a psychoanalytic basis through inkblots. It helps understand children’s inner world, emotional regulation capacity, and self-integrity.

Moxo Attention Test: A test administered online on a computer in the psychologist’s office, without visual or emotional content, measuring Attention, Timing, Impulsivity, and Hyperactivity performance in children and adolescents.