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One of the most important practical problems in child psychology and psychia try is the differential diagnosis of emotional disorders. Until recently, the gener al mode of assessment had been to apply to children the characteristics of psychopathology that were evident in adults. In addition, there had been few assessment tools available for use with children aside from modified versions of adult instruments. Understandably, this approach was controversial, and dissat isfaction with it led to the more recent knowledge that adult and child problems may be manifested quite differently. The third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders takes these factors into account much more extensively than previous editions. Furthermore, a great deal of research on methodology in child assessment procedures has emerged recently. Yet, in spite of these advances, practicing clinicians are still frequently at a loss in moving from the characteristics of the disturbed child before them to the final assign ment of a psychiatric diagnosis. The focus of this book is to outline the various methods of viewing and categorizing the wide range childhood psycho pathology, with special emphasis on the end product of making a differential diagnosis. Our goal was to make this book unique in several ways. First, we attempted to cover a wider range of disorders than is typical in currently available hand books.
List of contents
I: Basic Issues.- 1. Historical Trends in the Recognition and Assessment of Childhood Psychopathology.- 2. Theoretical Approaches to Assessment and Treatment.- 3. Diagnostic Classification Systems in Child Psychopathology.- II: Methods of Assessment.- 4. Standardized and Projective Tests.- 5. Questionnaires and Checklists.- 6. Neuropsychological, Physiological, and Biochemical Assessment.- 7. Behavioral Assessment.- 8. Interviewing and Report Writing.- III: Assessment of Specific Disorders.- 9. Developmental Learning Disorders.- 10. Severe Developmental Disabilities.- 11. Conduct Problems.- 12. Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity.- 13. Infantile Disorders and Childhood Schizophrenia.- 14. Depression.- 15. Anxiety Disorders.- 16. Selected Chronic Physiological Disorders: I. General Assessment, Asthma, and Tics.- 17. Selected Chronic Physiological Disorders: II. Gastrointestinal, Headache, and Seizure Disorders.- 18. Eating and Elimination Disorders.- 19. Parental Roles in Childhood Psychopathology.- IV: Assessing Special Populations.- 20. Mental Retardation.- 21. Learning Disabilities.- 22. Hearing Impairment.- 23. Visual Impairment.- 24. Physical Handicaps.- 25. Cognitive Assessment in Medically Ill Children.
About the author
Johnny L. Matson, Ph.D., Professor and Distinguished Research Master and Director of the Ph.D. program in clinical psychology in the Department of Psychology at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. He is the author of more than 450 publications, including 34 books. In addition, he is the editor-in-chief of two research journals, Research in Developmental Disabilities and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. He has served as an expert for the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and is past president of the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Division of the American Psychological Association. His research and clinical interests are in autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities.
