Handbook Of Mental Retardation And Development

This book reviews theoretical and empirical work in the developmental approach to mental retardation. Armed with methods derived from the study of typically developing children, developmentalists have recently learned about the mentally retarded child's own development in a variety of areas. These areas now encompass many aspects of cognition, language, social and adaptive functioning, as well as of maladaptive behavior and psychopathology. In addition to a focus on individuals with mental retardation themselves, familial and other "ecological" factors have influenced developmental approaches to mental retardation. Comprised of twenty-seven chapters on various aspects of development, this handbook provides a timely, comprehensive guide to understanding mental retardation and development.

This authoritative handbook reviews the breadth of current knowledge about developmental disabilities: neuroscientific and genetic foundations; the impact on health, learning, and behavior; and effective educational and clinical practices. Leading authorities analyze what works in intervening with diverse children and families, from infancy through the school years and the transition to adulthood. Chapters present established and emerging approaches to promoting communication and language abilities, academic skills, positive social relationships, and vocational and independent living skills. Current practices in positive behavior support are discussed, as are strategies for supporting family adaptation and resilience.

Though the tremendous amount of recently-emerged developmentally-oriented research has produced much progress in understanding the personality, social, and emotional characteristics of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID), there is still much we don't know, and the vast task of precisely charting functioning in all these areas, while also identifying the associated fine-tuned, complex, and intertwined questions that crop up along the way, seems daunting and insurmountable. The goal of The Oxford Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Development is to update the field with new, precise research and sophisticated theory regarding individuals with ID provided by seasoned developmental theorists who have made original conceptual contributions to the field. This volume is divided into five general sections (ID and its connection to genetics, relationships, cognitive development, socio-emotional development, and development of language), with each focused on a domain of functioning or aspect of life that is inherent to an integrated, transactional perspective of development. While developmental approaches to understanding persons with intellectual disability will continue to emerge, this comprehensive volume is a must-read for specialists and developmental psychologists who must have the conceptual foundations for examining the developmental trajectories across persons with any of the many different ID etiologies.

This handbook offers a comprehensive review of intellectual disabilities (ID). It examines historical perspectives and foundational principles in the field. The handbook addresses philosophy of care for individuals with ID, as well as parent and professional issues and organizations, staffing, and working on multidisciplinary teams. Chapters explore issues of client protection, risk factors of ID, basic research issues, and legal concerns. In addition, chapters include information on evidence-based assessments and innovative treatments to address a variety of behaviors associated with ID. The handbook provides an in-depth analysis of comorbid physical disorders, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy and seizures, and developmental coordination disorders (DCD), in relation to ID. Topics featured in this handbook include: Informed consent and the enablement of persons with ID. The responsible use of restraint and seclusion as a protective measure. Vocational training and job preparation programs that assist individuals with ID. Psychological and educational approaches to the treatment of aggression and tantrums. Emerging technologies that support learning for students with ID. Key sexuality and relationship issues that are faced by individuals with ID. Effective approaches to weight management for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Handbook of Intellectual Disabilities is an essential reference for researchers, graduate students, clinicians and related therapists and professionals in clinical child and school psychology, pediatrics, social work, developmental psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, child and adolescent psychiatry, and special education.

This book provides easy-to-access, reliable, up-to-date information on the numerous advances in research, assessment, treatment, and service delivery for clinicians, academics, administrators and other mental health professionals. It examines issues surrounding intellectual and developmental disabilities in a real-world sociopolitical framework. In addition, the book summarizes the major domains and emerging subspecialties of this vast area into one useful reference and so offers a wide range of assessment and diagnostic tools and tactics, including cognitive and adaptive behavior assessments.

Intellectual disabilities can be difficult to detect in children prior to their school-age years. Throughout their lives, individuals with intellectual disabilities may require specialized care and support in order to lead healthy and fulfilled lives. The Handbook of Research on Diagnosing, Treating, and Managing Intellectual Disabilities is a pivotal reference source for the latest research on the effects of disabilities in intellectual functioning, examining the causes, treatment, and rehabilitation of such limitations in adaptive behavior. Highlighting empirical findings on the management of these disabilities throughout various stages of life, this publication is ideally designed for clinicians, researchers, special educators, social workers, and students actively involved in the mental health profession.

In the 16 years since the publication of the second edition of this volume, psychological theory and research in mental retardation has continued to expand and extend scientific, theoretical, and clinical understanding of this most complex and challenging human condition. Explicit effort has been made to translate theory and research into useful and efficacious assessment, intervention, prevention, and policy actions. This third edition provides an opportunity to critique major conceptual developments and empirical research in an effort to stimulate further behavioral research of practical, social importance. The Handbook presents work by prominent contributors to a major scientific endeavor that has grown dramatically during the last three decades. The challenge for each author was to identify important theoretical and empirical issues, provide a critical, selective review of exemplary research, and discuss the questions that remain unanswered in each area. In short, the goal for this third edition was to consolidate the knowledge gained during the past 30 years and to present a blueprint for future research in mental retardation, the broader field of learning disabilities, and other developmental disorders such as autism. Providing totally different coverage and direction from the previous edition, this text fills a crucial instructional need in graduate courses related to the psychology of mental retardation. With its emphasis on psychological research and theory, it offers an important alternative to many available texts that primarily emphasize the application of research.