Assessing Parenting Capacity Manual

Child welfare professionals, legal counsel, and judges will find this manual to be an indispensable reference with which to inform and structure their effort to advance what is in the best interest of a child at risk. Dr. Alexander T. Polgar created this remarkably comprehensive, user-friendly manual. It includes, in a single source, a clearly articulated rationale for a systematic methodology with which to conduct Parenting Capacity Assessments. Mental health professionals new to this area of practice regardless of jurisdiction will be able with the use of this manual, to conduct assessments of a quality that usually comes with practice wisdom derived from years of experience. Seasoned practitioners again, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they work, will welcome the benefits of this initiative to achieve standardization that is rationally based and empirically supported by a wealth of previously unsynthesized research. Child welfare professionals, legal counsel, and judges will find this manual to be an indispensable reference with which to inform and structure their effort to advance what is in the best interest of a child at risk. This manual includes two separate but related sections.

In this book Steinhauer brings together the fragmented research that has been done in a number of different disciplines. From this body of work he develops a model of intervention based on an understanding of attachment theory, development theory, and the practice of mental health consultation.

This book addresses evaluations for child protection, one of the most delicate legal arenas in which forensic mental examiners play a part. The evaluations are highly specialized, requiring child clinical specialization, a knowledge of the legal and social context, and a thorough understanding of the professional and ethical guidelines for child protection evaluations. This volume provides that context, and presents established empirical foundations from the behavioral, social, and medical sciences. Finally, the book provides a detailed "how-to" for practitioners, including information on data collection, interpretation, report writing and expert testimony.

Across all cultures parenting is the foundation of family life. It is the domain where adult mental health meets infant development. Beginning in pregnancy, parenting involves many conscious and unconscious processes which have recently been shown to affect a child's development significantly. This book focuses on pregnancy and the first year of life, providing a thorough account of the points of encounter between adult and infant psychiatry. In a fresh and comprehensive way, it summarises knowledge about early parenting, including a critical analysis of parenting, what it means to be a "good enough parent", and its relationship to infant, parent and family outcomes. In addition to the psychiatric dimension, the book emphasises the biological aspects of parenting, parental psychopathology and normal and abnormal infant development. Praise for Parenting and Mental Health: “Tyano, Keren, Herrman and Cox have edited a thoughtfully prepared guide on normal and abnormal parenting. They have, with enormous skill and wisdom, helped to unite the important aspects of pregnancy, infant and childhood development and parenting for adult and child and adolescent psychiatrists. World-class internationally recognized clinicians and researchers help make this book useful throughout the world. This is a masterful, culturally sensitive and important book which provides a long overdue and much needed guide on relationships among children, parents and families.” —Michelle Riba, M.D., M.S., Professor and Associate Chair for Integrated Medical and Psychiatric Services, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, USA “During recent decades, progress in the field of infant mental health has been revolutionary; at the same time, there has been rapid development in women’s mental health. By bringing these two together, this pioneering book leads its readers to the vital new focal point around perinatal mental health. The book integrates the origins of developmental psychiatry in attachment and systemic contexts and shows concretely how relationship experiences and biology interact when new life begins. After describing the fascinating world of early parenting, the book focuses on problems, difficulties and disorders during this phase of life and above all on how to support, intervene and treat disorders in parenting. When infants, mothers and fathers are understood in a holistic way, professionals in many fields will be able to promote the transmission of meaningful life through parenthood and parenting.” —Tuula Tamminen, Professor of Child Psychiatry, University of Tampere, Finland; Past-President of World Association for Infant Mental Health, President of European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Cover design by Reouth Keren

Clinical Manual of Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry offers a comprehensive guide for mental health clinicians, trainees, and students to pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP), a specialized area of psychiatry whose practitioners have particular expertise in the diagnosis and management of psychiatric disorders in complex physically ill children and adolescents. Patients commonly fall into one of three descriptive categories: those with comorbid emotional and physical illnesses that complicate each other's management; those with distressing somatic symptoms plus abnormal thoughts, feelings, and behavior in response to these symptoms; and those with psychiatric symptoms that are a direct consequence of a physical illness and/or its treatment. The text, authored by two luminaries in pediatric psychiatry, thoroughly explores the challenges faced by these patients and pediatric practitioners and mental health professionals who together care for them, addressing, in a concrete and practical manner, the wide variety of issues encountered in the pediatric hospital. These concerns range from how to address treatment nonadherence in children to how to conduct a psychosocial assessment of a solid organ transplant recipient. The text's carefully chosen features and valuable content include: Historical context for the evolution of "pediatric psychosomatic medicine" to "pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry," ensuring an accurate, up-to-date representation of the field and proper integration with DSM-5 classification. Detailed clinical assessment protocols, with guidance for exploring interrelated domains such as illness factors, emotional impact, family functioning, and social relationships. These practical, step-by-step guides assist the consultant in conducting a comprehensive psychiatric/psychological assessment. A target symptom-oriented chapter on psychopharmacology in the physically ill child, which offers guidance on management of acute agitation, insomnia, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. The treatment algorithms presented are designed to be easily understood by non-psychiatric clinicians. Guidance on the use of practical interventions to help physically ill children undergoing traumatic medical procedures, including hypnosis, progressive muscle relaxation, and breathing techniques. These specific techniques will help the clinician in assisting distressed patients. The previous edition was considered the gold standard for books in the field. This new, thoroughly revised iteration of Clinical Manual of Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry will doubtless inspire similar acclaim for its rigor, accessibility, and clinical wisdom.