APA Health Care and Life Sciences

Growth and development of a child age 2-4

This is a 60 Hour Clinical to be arranged by students. The objective is to look at normal growth and development.  The purpose is to correlate psychological theories of normal development and its impact upon an individuals adaptation to life and personality development. Contrasting this normal development with the impact of abnormal development will be a later goal.  This theoretical foundation will be used to identify aberrations of development contributing to psychiatric disorders, emotional disorders, and personality disorders.  Theories of how to provide primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention measures will be developed.
The student will choose a child in the community of approximately 2 years of age to 4 years of age to interact with on an ongoing basis.  The child must not be a relative.  There must be an opportunity to do at least one home visit and interact with primary caregiver and family.  A genogram and cultural assessment will be included with the theory paper, based on this experience.  Logs will be kept of time of interaction, verbatim interactions and analysis with a classical theorist: Freud, Erickson, Klein, Sullivan, Peplau, etc.  Using a different theorist on each log may provide the student with exposure to many ways of looking at behaviors.  Logs will be submitted weekly. 
Clinical Requirements: (This forms the foundation of the Theoretical Paper Assignment)

1.    Choose a child.
2.    Make at least one home visit and interact with primary caregiver, family.
3.    Construct a genogram.
4.    Include a cultural assessment of family.
5.    Maintain a log of time, verbatim interactions, and submit weekly.
6.    Participate in weekly discussions
7.        Perform a Denver Developmental Survey with Child.