Clinical Guide To Psychiatric Assessment Of Infants And Young Children

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

The Handbook of Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Mental Health Assessment brings together, for the first time, leading clinical researchers to provide empirically based recommendations for assessment of social-emotional and behavior problems and disorders in the earliest years. Each author presents state-of-the-art information on scientifically valid, developmentally based clinical assessments and makes recommendations based on the integration of developmental theory, empirical findings, and clinical experience. Though the field of mental health assessment in infants and young children lags behind work with older children and adults, recent scientific advances, including new measures and diagnostic approaches, have led to dramatic growth in the field. The editors of this exciting new work have assembled an extraordinary collection of chapters that thoroughly discuss the conceptualizations of dysfunction in infants and young children, current and new diagnostic criteria, and such specific disorders as sensory modulation dysfunction, sleep disorders, eating and feeding disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and ADHD. Chapters further highlight the importance of incorporating contextual factors such as parent-child relationship functioning and cultural background into the assessment process to increase the validity of findings. Given the comprehensiveness of this groundbreaking volume in reviewing conceptual, methodological, and research advances on early identification, diagnosis, and clinical assessment of disorders in this young age group, it will be an ideal resource for teachers, researchers, and a wide variety clinicians including child psychologists, child psychiatrists, early intervention providers, early special educators, social workers, family physicians, and pediatricians.

This fully updated new edition of The Oxford Handbook of Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Mental Health Assessment remains the leading reference for those seeking to understand and assess mental health in infants and young children. Detailing the latest empirical research on measures and methods of infant and young child assessment and providing clinically applicable information for practitioners, this handbook takes a closer look at current developmentally based conceptualizations of mental health function and dysfunction in infants and young children as well as current and new diagnostic criteria in specific disorders such as sensory modulation dysfunction, autism spectrum disorders, affective disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Presented in four sections, chapters correspond to four broad themes: contextual factors in early assessment; temperament and regulation in assessment of young children; early problems and disorders; and translation and varied applied settings for assessment. Each chapter presents state of the science information on valid, developmentally based clinical assessment and makes recommendations based on developmental theory, empirical findings, and clinical experience. Chapters have been added to this second edition covering family assessment, early care and educational environments, new approaches for distinguishing temperament from psychopathology, assessing language, and implementing second stage screening and referral. The volume recognizes and highlights the important role of developmental, social, and cultural contexts in approaching the challenge of assessing early problems and disorders. This new, updated volume will be an ideal resource for teachers, researchers, and a wide variety of clinicians and trainees including child psychologists and psychiatrists, early interventionists, and early special educators.

Provides an evidence-based and practical approach to assessment of young children and their families across diverse settings.

Widely regarded as the standard reference in the field, this state-of-the-art handbook offers a comprehensive analysis of developmental, clinical, and social aspects of mental health from birth to the preschool years. Leading authorities explore models of development; biological, family, and sociocultural risk and protective factors; and frequently encountered disorders and disabilities. Evidence-based approaches to assessment and treatment are presented, with an emphasis on ways to support strong parent–child relationships. The volume reviews the well-documented benefits of early intervention and prevention and describes applications in mental health, primary care, childcare, and child welfare settings. The chapter on psychopharmacology has been updated for the paperback edition.

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.

Rapidly changing demographics in the United States over the past few years have resulted in a "majority of minority" youth. This has far-reaching implications for mental health clinicians, for whom knowledge of cultural context is critically important to understanding their patients and rendering effective, compassionate treatment. In addition to addressing cultural context, the book addresses the emerging crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the significance of the movement for social justice.