This book examines basic knowledge in the field of infant and early childhood mental health. It focuses on cognitive, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers and examines different aspects of neurobiological development, including genes and epigenetics as well as biobehavioral synchrony. In addition, the book addresses parenting and caregiving issues, including attachment, parent-infant relationships, and high-risk factors (e.g., the effects of trauma on the infant-caregiver relationship, adolescent parenting, and parents with substance abuse disorders).Key areas of coverage include:Social-emotional and cognitive development during infancy and early childhood.Temperament in infants and toddlers.Neurobiological influences from infancy through early childhood.Parenting and caregiving of infants and toddlers.Reflective functioning, mentalization, and infant development.The WAIMH Handbook of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Volume One, is a must-have reference for researchers, professors, and graduate students as well as clinicians and all related therapists and professionals in infancy and early child development, developmental psychology, pediatrics, child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical social work, public health and all related disciplines.

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Core Concepts and Clinical Practice is a groundbreaking book that provides an overview of the field from both theoretical and clinical viewpoints. The editors and chapter authors -- some of the field's foremost researchers and teachers -- describe from their diverse perspectives key concepts fundamental to infant-parent and early childhood mental health work. The complexity of this emerging field demands an interdisciplinary approach, and the book provides a clear, comprehensive, and coherent text with an abundance of clinical applications to increase understanding and help the reader to integrate the concepts into clinical practice. Offering both cutting-edge coverage and a format that facilitates learning, the book boasts the following features and content: A focus on helping working professionals expand their specialization skills and knowledge and on offering core competency training for those entering the field, which reflects the Infant-Parent Mental Health Postgraduate Certificate Program (IPMHPCP) and Fellowship in Napa, CA that was the genesis of the book. Chapters written by a diverse group of authors with vastly different training, expertise, and clinical experience, underscoring the book's interdisciplinary approach. In addition, terms such as clinician, therapist, provider, professional, and teacher are intentionally used interchangeably to describe and unify the field. Explication and analysis of a variety of therapeutic models, including Perry's Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics; Brazelton's neurodevelopmental and relational Touchpoints; attachment theory; the Neurorelational Framework; Mindsight; and Downing's Video Intervention Therapy. An entire chapter devoted to diagnostic schemas for children ages 0--5, which highlights the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood: Revised (DC:0-3R). With the release of DSM-5, this chapter provides a prototypical crosswalk between DC:0-3R and ICD codes. A discussion of the difference between evidence-based treatments and evidence-based practices in the field, along with valuable information on randomized controlled trials, a research standard that, while often not feasible or ethically permissible in infant mental health work, remains a standard applied to the field. Key points and references at the end of each chapter, and generous use of figures, tables, and other resources to enhance learning. The volume editors and authors are passionate about the pressing need for further research and the acquisition and application of new knowledge to support the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Core Concepts and Clinical Practice should find a receptive audience for this critically important message.

This book examines infant and early childhood mental health and the importance of early emotional and social development for later developmental trajectories. It incorporates research and clinical perspectives and brings research findings to bear in evaluating intervention strategies. By incorporating empirical developmental literature that is directly relevant to infant mental health and clinical practice, the book addresses the multiple forces which shape young children’s mental health. These forces include child factors, parental and familial variables, childrearing practices, and environmental influences. In addition, the book explores parent-child relationships, family networks, and social supports as protective factors, as well as risk factors such as poverty, exposure to violence, and substance abuse, which influence and change developmental processes. It shows that, by examining socio-emotional development in a cultural context, human development in the twenty-first century can be conceptualized through differences, similarities and diversity perspectives, focusing on the rights of every individual child.

This book provides a clinical guide to the psychiatric assessment of infants and young children, birth through five years, and their families. It offers a comprehensive, data-rich framework for conducting mental health assessments of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The book includes a step-by-step guide for evaluation and assessment, reviewing relevant literature and best practices for working with very young children. It begins with an overview of the purpose and principles of psychiatric assessment and offers a protocol for planning and executing a thorough evaluation. Chapters examine critical aspects of the assessment process, including children’s relationships with parents/caregivers, assessment of parents, cultural considerations, and play behaviors. Chapters also provide illustrative case vignettes and information on specialized tools that can be adapted for use in a private office or training clinic. Topics featured in this book include: Play-based assessment models for accessing the inner world of young children. The effect of caregivers and their reflective functioning on the mental health of young children. The use of adult-report rating scales in the clinical assessment of young children. Psychopharmacologic considerations in early childhood. The Clinical Guide to Psychiatric Assessment of Infants and Young Children is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians, and related professionals, and graduate students in infancy and early childhood development, pediatrics, social work, psychiatry, and public health. “The volume is both highly practical and up to date, impressively bridging the gap between science and practice. The book is an invaluable guide for students and trainees and an important reference for seasoned clinicians.” David Oppenheim, Ph.D., University of Haifa “The book integrates relational, developmental and social-emotional health dimensions within each chapter, reviewing subjective and objective measures in a range of domains. The book is clear and user-friendly. I wholeheartedly recommend it!” Daniel S. Schechter, M.D., New York University School of Medicine “This important new volume provides multiple perspectives on the entire range of assessment methods and procedures used in early childhood mental health. This is a vital read for students and practitioners.” Charles H. Zeanah, M.D., Tulane University

Keynote: This 4-volume set offers comprehensive coverage of children's psychological development during the critical early years of life. Infancy--which is defined as the period from birth to 18 months of age--is the single most critical stage in cognitive and socioemotional development. The comprehensive WAIMH Handbook of Infant Mental Health offers the first thorough interdisciplinary analysis of the biopsychosocial factors that impact normal and abnormal infant mental development. Assembled under the auspices of the leading international organization in infant development--the World Association of Infant Mental Health--this ground-breaking four-volume reference offers a state-of-the-art overview of the field by the world's leading researchers, clinicians, and scholars.

Keynote: This 4-volume set offers comprehensive coverage of children's psychological development during the critical early years of life. Infancy--which is defined as the period from birth to 18 months of age--is the single most critical stage in cognitive and socioemotional development. The comprehensive WAIMH Handbook of Infant Mental Health offers the first thorough interdisciplinary analysis of the biopsychosocial factors that impact normal and abnormal infant mental development. Assembled under the auspices of the leading international organization in infant development--the World Association of Infant Mental Health--this ground-breaking four-volume reference offers a state-of-the-art overview of the field by the world's leading researchers, clinicians, and scholars.

Infancy is a unique period, in that at no other state is there greater growth and development. During this time, growth is occurring at a physical level, but equally impressive are the socio-emotional and cognitive developments during this time. Genetics, the womb environment, and the physical environment after birth all combine to impact the rate and manner of growth. Who we ultimately become as individuals begins here. Intended for university and public libraries, the Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Childhood Development is the major reference work that provides a comprehensive entry point into all of the existing literature on child development from the fields of psychology, genetics, neuroscience, and sociology. The scope of this work is to understand the developmental changes, when they occur, why they occur, how they occur, and those factors that influence that development. Although some medical information is included, the emphasis is on normal growth and is primarily from a psychological perspective. Cutting edge content will encompass the period of time from neo-nates to age three Award-winning Editors-in-Chief to ensure authoritative quality Organized alphabetically by topic for ease of reference Each article will include a glossary defining any unique terms Suggested readings at the end of each article provide a resource for additional information Extensively cross-referenced within the work to enable reader access to full and relevant information related to their interests Online availability via ScienceDirect platform