What is Analysis?
What is Critical Analysis?
What is meant by the ‘development of mental health
issues in childhood?’
Which 2 examples of mental health issue might you
choose?
Provide clearly applied definitions of the disorder
Be realistic and critical about the scope of evaluation of
the disorder in children in light of DSM/ICD definitions.
Consider your tools for analysis…
Models of abnormality and normality?
Attachment theory / family dynamics?
Genetic factors vs Environmental factors (nature /
nurture)
Epigenetic factors
Utilise relevant tools to provide possible explanations
for the emergent causes of mental health issues in
children. E.g.:
Parenting styles (links to attachment / family
dynamics / identity formation /
intergenerational transmission / psychoanalysis)
Comorbidity (e.g. autism may be comorbid with
other mental health conditions)
Bullying (i.e. school / online / child exploitation)
Cultural differences and adaptive strategies
An example structure – 2000 words (~180 words per
para.)
Introduction
Set out your intentions for the essay –
What is the purpose and scope of the essay?
What key frameworks will be used to define mental
health issues in children?
What key theories will you be using to critically analyse
the development of mental health issues in childhood?
Para 1 – Refine definitions;
Para 2 – Describe and explain chosen mental health issue to
examine. Consider its DSM definition / cause / ‘type’ of
condition and other key features;
Para 3 – Analyse the condition from a specific ‘perspective’
(the best way of explaining this is to imagine that you are
breaking down the condition but using a theoretical
perspectives and ‘position’ to help you do this);
Para 4 – Analyse the condition from a second, different,
perspective
Para 5 – Provide a short ‘super-summary’ (‘synthesis’) of your
new position based on your own understanding from
paragraphs 3 and 4. Use key references to evidence your
explanation.
Para 6 – Describe and explain a second mental health issue to examine. Consider its DSM definition / cause / ‘type’ of condition and other key features; This time you could also make comparisons and contrasts with your findings asoutlined in para 5.
Para 7 – Analyse the condition from a specific ‘perspective’
(the best way of explaining this is to imagine that you are
breaking down the condition but using a theoretical
perspectives and ‘position’ to help you do this); Again, this
time you might continue to gain depth of insight and
argument by making comparisons and contrasts with your
previous analysis.
Para 8 – Analyse the condition from a second, different,
perspective
Para 9 – start to tie your strands together by providing a
penultimate paragraph that amplifies your own ‘authorial
voice’ to offer a balanced argument and reposition yourself in
light of the essay title question. Be explicit and direct / bold /
confident.
Conclusion – Tie off the whole piece into a final supersummary that blends together the differing positions and
types of condition you have explored. This final concluding
paragraph should build upon the emerging synthesis (tying
together) in the penultimate paragraph 9. It should also give
the reader a sense that have considered how your intentions,
as set in your introduction, have been met.
