The Health and Clinical Psychology Research Group presents a seminar by A/Prof Richard O'Kearney
Research School of Psychology, ANU
When: 15th June 12 noon
Place: Keats Reading Room (AVLG 17). Video conferenced to Ourimbah science offices.
Abstract: Developmental psychopathology is currently being shaped by two key principles. The first is that to better understand the development of psychological disorders in children we need to know more about the nature of problem heterogeneity and what child factors account for this heterogeneity. Second, in order to achieve better treatment outcomes we need to better understand how contextual factors, particularly family processes, map onto this heterogeneity and how to modify our treatments accordingly. This presentation illustrates how these two issues play out in regard to paediatric OCD and childhood disruptive disorders. It examines the evidence for specific child factors in each of these disorders factors (dysregulated anger in paediatric OCD; low prosocial emotions in disruptive disorder) which predict responsiveness to the most effective psychological treatments (CBT with ERP for paediatric OCD; Parent Management training for Disruptive disorders). The presentation puts forward proposals about the underlying nature of these child factors and considers the evidence for these proposals. These child factors impact on and interact with family functioning and relationship quality within the family. These considerations lead to suggestions about how to modify the most effective psychological treatments for paediatric OCD and disruptive disorders in order to enhance the outcomes for all children with these disorders.
Bio: Associate Professor Richard O’Kearney is a senior research fellow with the Research School of Psychology at the Australian National University. His primary area of research is developmental psychopathology with major research streams in emotion development; language and psychopathology, preventing mental health problems in children and adolescence, post-traumatic adjustment and narrative processes, and paediatric obsessive compulsive disorder. He has a strong interest in evidence-based practice and using evidence about variability in treatment efficacy to better understand the nature of the development of childhood disorders and to enhance the efficacy of our treatment.
