Publisher's Synopsis
In this work, the Child Psychiatry Committee of the Group for Advancement of Psychiatry has compiled the conclusions of new research, under-publicized studies and hard-to-find governmental reports on the development of psychopathology in children. Only through such longitudinal studies can early personality traits and behaviour that may lead to psychopathology later in life be examined, and effective prevention methods be identified.;This report reviews several studies of early therapeutic school-based prevention programmes such as Head Start, the New Haven School Development Program, Project Giant Step, Success for All and preschool intervention programmes. It also reviews the effects of mentally ill parents on a child's development, including both stress and heredity factors. It examines issues related to the effects of environmental stress and of medical issues on developing psychopathology. It presents studies of the outcome of pathology for children with specific psychiatric diagnoses, such as children with chronic medical illnesses, childhood traumas, mood and anxiety disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders and eating disorders. It considers the effects of race, gender and comorbidity on later development of pathology. It provides insight into the long-term effects of a child's disorder on other family members and presents research that helps to understand which childhood mental health problems children outgrow and which lead to later psychopathology.;The book consolidates knowledge about the factors promoting or deterring children's development toward healthy adulthood. It aims to assist practitioners with clinical decision making.
