Synopses & Reviews
As the primary providers of child welfare services, social workers are often the first to notice psychosocial disorders in children. And in the wake of deinstitutionalization, social workers frequently playa primary role in treating these children as well. Now Francis J. Turner provides an essential resource: the first contemporary overview of the field of child psychopathology that speaks directly to social work practitioners in terms of their skills, goals, and the knowledge they need to recognize symptoms and implement appropriate intervention strategies.
Creating a truly comprehensive social work perspective, the thirteen expert contributors to this volume effectively incorporate the genetic, neurological, and psychological dimensions of child psychopathology as well as the influences of family, school, and the larger environment in their examination of a wide range of disorders. Turner emphasizes the need to include the biological perspective in social work practice in order to have more comprehensive knowledge of the etiology of a child's psychopathology and ultimately a richer understanding of the whole child in his or her social milieu. Each chapter provides essential physiological information that can aid the practitioner not only in diagnosis and referral, but also in assisting children with chronic psychological disorders to function within the scope of their capabilities in their family, school, and community environments.
Child Psychopathology provides the latest information on the nature and treatment of the full spectrum of children's psychological disorders including mental retardation; autism; adjustment and affective disorders; behavior and gender-identity disorders; schizophrenia; suicide; anxiety states; phobias; substance abuse; eating disorders; and others. Each chapter summarizes the various theoretical approaches to the disorder, its etiology, symptoms, and course, and methods of intervention . The authors delineate the social worker's role in the therapeutic activities while also emphasizing the importance of collaboration among parents, teachers, and medical and mental health professionals. Rich case materials illustrate many of the disorders described in the book, and each chapter ends with an extensive current bibliography.
Review
"This collection will serve as an extremely valuable resource book for social work practitioners and students." Alex Gitterman, Columbia University
Review
"Clinicians working with childhood disorders will find in Dr. Turner's book a skillful blend of new findings with the tried and true, pertinent guidelines for treatment, and excellent case examples." Carel Germain, University of Connecticut
Synopsis
Authoritative as both reference and text, this essential volume will prove immensely valuable not only to social workers and students, but also to all professionals who care for children and adolescents.