Description
Book SynopsisCountless studies have demonstrated the power of early intervention to permanently alter the course of a child's life. Yet—heightened by the past decade's research breakthroughs in genetics—the nature vs. nurture controversy rages on.
This volume dispels some of the persistent myths surrounding this controversy. Unlike largely theoretical texts that describe infant behavioral and emotional difficulties and other psychosocial challenges affecting young children, this eminently practical guide illustrates what to do in numerous clinical situations with actual patients. Written by clinicians who work with infants and children and their families every day, this reality-based approach addresses the most common and important problems in infant psychopathology (e.g., trauma, sleep, feeding, excessive crying, attachment disruptions), covering models of intervention from pregnancy through infancy, attachment issues, and transgenerational themes.
Here, you'll find topics rarely addressed elsewhere:
• The theoretical and clinical implications of trauma during early childhood and its effects on emotional regulation, cognition, and attachment, including potential disruptions of attachment—a topic widely overlooked in the life of young children, perhaps because of the distress it produces in adults to think that infants can be subject to violence, witness major traumatic events, and experience consequences from such events
• Techniques, such as multimodal parent-infant psychotherapy, for working effectively with families—once considered "unreachable"—who are under severe stress and have endured multiple disruptions, disappointments, and marginalization
• A timely discussion of a rarely addressed problem on the importance of early intervention and the effects of day care for infants, from the point of view of the infant exposed to multiple caretakers, addressing the very difficult questions of the effects on infants of changes in caretakers
• How young children use their bodies and its functions to manifest their difficulties, focusing on sleeping, crying, and eating with practical suggestions that can be widely applied by health care professionals
• Unique commentaries on two case examples by a diverse international panel of clinicians and researchers—from countries such as Argentina, Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, the UK, and the U.S.—illustrating the differences of opinion, approaches, and perspectives that together generate more effective assessment and treatment
This thought-provoking clinical reference is a "must read" for developmental, child, and adolescent psychiatry educators and practitioners—and nurses, pediatricians, occupational therapists, and clinical social workers—as they help the youngest members of our community through theoretical understanding and practical intervention.
Trade ReviewIt is a very welcomed addition, and it stands alone as a unique contribution in many respects. First, the authors offer clinical perspectives based on their own experiences, and there is richness evident throughout the volume because of the case material presented. The volume truly is a 'reality-based' approach to this field. Secondly, the first section of the volume has theoretical perspectives provided from several experts who offer clear models by which to consider the clinical data presented in the second section. .
-- Beth L. Goodlin-Jones * Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics *
Taken as a whole, this excellent book should encourage both those already doing this work to continue and those who are thinking of it to start.
-- Robin Balbernie * Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry *
This book convinced me, a skeptic, of the need to consider that the infant-caregiver relationship, not as a secondary contextual information, but as central to successful therapeutic intervention. The clarity of the presentation and the thoughtful selection of case material does much to convince the reader.
-- Ingram Wright, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Sheffield University, UK * Journal of Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry *
This book significantly furthers the literature of early development by bringing together theoretical, experimental, and clinical material in a reality-based approach. The therapeutic approaches are detailed and sensitive accounts of a diversity of clinical interventions and treatments.
-- Elliott Pae M.D. * Doody's Health Science Book Reviews *
Table of ContentsContributors
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: Theoretical Framework
Chapter 1. The Place for Infancy
Chapter 2. Attachment, Trauma, and Self-Reflection: Implications for Later Psychopathology
Chapter 3. Understanding of Mental States, Mother-Infant Interaction, and the Development of the Self
Part II: Therapeutic Approaches to Relationships and Their Disturbances
Chapter 4. Promoting Maternal Role Attainment and Attachment During Pregnancy: The Parent-Child Communication Coaching Program
Chapter 5. Treatment of Attachment Disorders in Infant-Parent Psychotherapy
Chapter 6. Multimodal Parent-Infant Psychotherapy
Chapter 7. The Therapeutic Consultation
Chapter 8. The Transgenerational Transmission of Abandonment
Chapter 9. The Challenge of Multiple Caregivers
Part III: Therapeutic Approaches to Psychophysiological Disturbances
Chapter 10. Excessive and Persistent Crying: Characteristics, Differential Diagnosis, and Management
Chapter 11. Sleep Disorders in Infants and Young Children
Chapter 12. Evaluation and Treatment of Eating and Feeding Disturbances of Infancy
Part IV: Illustrative Case Examples
Chapter 13. A 3-Year-Old "Monster"
Chapter 14. Physical Abuse and Neglect in the First 6 Months of Life: A Parent-Infant Psychotherapeutic Approach
Index
