Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Childhood internalizing disorders often do not receive as much attention as they should, particularly in school settings. Dr. Merrell's text provides a welcome response to this problem, as it presents a wealth of practical information regarding empirically supported methods for the assessment and treatment of childhood depression and anxiety. School psychologists and counselors will find it to be a unique and invaluable resource." --David N. Miller, PhD., University at Albany, State University of New York
"Child and adolescent depression and anxiety are often under-identified and misunderstood. This manual provides a well-integrated compendium of successful treatment approaches. Filling a major need, this is a valuable resource for school psychologists, social workers, school counselors, and mental health professionals. It presents a range of practical individual and group interventions to use in private practice, school, and community-based settings." --Paula Freer, MSW, PhD, Coordinator of Psychological Services, Troup County, GA, Public Schools
"This well-written, reader-friendly book blends Merrell's research expertise in the area of childhood internalizing disorders with his sensitivity as a clinician. The discussion of real issues and situations that occur when therapy is conducted in the school setting makes this an important resource. Graduate students learning to do therapy and school-based practitioners looking to help youth suffering from anxiety or depression will benefit from reading this book. It clearly illustrates how research can influence practice in a meaningful way." --Jeff Laurent, PhD, Department of Psychology, Illinois State University
"An exceptionally useful book. Merrell cuts directly to the essential points--what internalizing disorders are, how they can best be recognized and assessed, and which specific interventions work. The link between assessment and intervention blends the theoretical, empirical, and clinical knowledge base superbly. An excellent resource for practitioners and trainers, this is also an appropriate text for courses in child counseling and therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and school-based interventions." --Harriet Cobb, EdD, Combined Program in Clinical, School, and Counseling Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Review
"Merrell offers in a this work a comprehensive survey of the budding literature on the subject, available programs for addressing the growing crisis in children's mental health, and, especially impressive, a smorgasbord of technical responses for prevention and intervention....Merrell's guidebook is an excellent refresher course for professionals working in the field of child and adolescent counseling. The strongest benefit of this guidebook resides in the wealth of intervention techniques that are outlined in great detail and complemented with tracking charts and self-scoring registers to map client successes and challenges....Merrell's guidebook offers the professional mental health counselor a wealth of options for treatments of depression and anxiety in young people. But parents and teachers as well would greatly benefit from keeping this guidebook on hand and applying its various innovative strategies in helping their young wards to deal successfully with an increasingly alienating and isolating, industrialized, consumerist world."--
Metapsychology Online Reviews "...a clear, well-written guide to intervention techniques designed to treat childhood depression and anxiety. It is an excellent starting point for clinicians interested in learning and implementing evidence-based techniques for the treatment of these disorders, particularly cognitive-behavioral techniques....this book is an excellent resource for school-based clinicians interested in learning new techniques, particularly cognitive-behavioral techniques, for treating depression and anxiety. It is easy to read and provides concrete, user-friendly tools that can be incorporated into one's clinical repertoire."--
The Prevention Researcher Supplemental Resource Issue"The real value of the book, however, lies in the practical strategies presented for assessment of and intervention with children and youth displaying depression and anxiety....This book offers valuable information for virtually anyone in an educational setting. Those in various roles have encountered or will encounter children with depression and anxiety at some point in time. Having taught courses in child and adolescent psychopathology, I am confident that its place in our teacher education program is obvious."--Kappa Delta Pi Record
"The volume contains thorough, specific discussions of techniques that teachers can use with students to alleviate common emotional stresses, without being either overly technical or too general. It lists guidelines for teacher assessment, target behaviors for students, and steps in social skills training, among many other strategies. Excellent for teachers and counselors the book does not oversimplify the issues, but rather provides useful, practical methods for resolving a variety of problems that students experience, particularly in adolescence. This is a true guide for what adults can say and do to help students of any age group. I recommend it highly."--Science Books and Films
Review
"Childhood internalizing disorders often do not receive as much attention as they should, particularly in school settings. Dr. Merrell's text provides a welcome response to this problem, as it presents a wealth of practical information regarding empirically supported methods for the assessment and treatment of childhood depression and anxiety. School psychologists and counselors will find it to be a unique and invaluable resource." --David N. Miller, PhD., University at Albany, State University of New York
"Child and adolescent depression and anxiety are often under-identified and misunderstood. This manual provides a well-integrated compendium of successful treatment approaches. Filling a major need, this is a valuable resource for school psychologists, social workers, school counselors, and mental health professionals. It presents a range of practical individual and group interventions to use in private practice, school, and community-based settings." --Paula Freer, MSW, PhD, Coordinator of Psychological Services, Troup County, GA, Public Schools
"This well-written, reader-friendly book blends Merrell's research expertise in the area of childhood internalizing disorders with his sensitivity as a clinician. The discussion of real issues and situations that occur when therapy is conducted in the school setting makes this an important resource. Graduate students learning to do therapy and school-based practitioners looking to help youth suffering from anxiety or depression will benefit from reading this book. It clearly illustrates how research can influence practice in a meaningful way." --Jeff Laurent, PhD, Department of Psychology, Illinois State University
"An exceptionally useful book. Merrell cuts directly to the essential points--what internalizing disorders are, how they can best be recognized and assessed, and which specific interventions work. The link between assessment and intervention blends the theoretical, empirical, and clinical knowledge base superbly. An excellent resource for practitioners and trainers, this is also an appropriate text for courses in child counseling and therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and school-based interventions." --Harriet Cobb, EdD, Combined Program in Clinical, School, and Counseling Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
"Merrell offers in a this work a comprehensive survey of the budding literature on the subject, available programs for addressing the growing crisis in children's mental health, and, especially impressive, a smorgasbord of technical responses for prevention and intervention....Merrell's guidebook is an excellent refresher course for professionals working in the field of child and adolescent counseling. The strongest benefit of this guidebook resides in the wealth of intervention techniques that are outlined in great detail and complemented with tracking charts and self-scoring registers to map client successes and challenges....Merrell's guidebook offers the professional mental health counselor a wealth of options for treatments of depression and anxiety in young people. But parents and teachers as well would greatly benefit from keeping this guidebook on hand and applying its various innovative strategies in helping their young wards to deal successfully with an increasingly alienating and isolating, industrialized, consumerist world."--Metapsychology Online Reviews "...a clear, well-written guide to intervention techniques designed to treat childhood depression and anxiety. It is an excellent starting point for clinicians interested in learning and implementing evidence-based techniques for the treatment of these disorders, particularly cognitive-behavioral techniques....this book is an excellent resource for school-based clinicians interested in learning new techniques, particularly cognitive-behavioral techniques, for treating depression and anxiety. It is easy to read and provides concrete, user-friendly tools that can be incorporated into one's clinical repertoire."--The Prevention Researcher Supplemental Resource Issue
"The real value of the book, however, lies in the practical strategies presented for assessment of and intervention with children and youth displaying depression and anxiety....This book offers valuable information for virtually anyone in an educational setting. Those in various roles have encountered or will encounter children with depression and anxiety at some point in time. Having taught courses in child and adolescent psychopathology, I am confident that its place in our teacher education program is obvious."--Kappa Delta Pi Record
"The volume contains thorough, specific discussions of techniques that teachers can use with students to alleviate common emotional stresses, without being either overly technical or too general. It lists guidelines for teacher assessment, target behaviors for students, and steps in social skills training, among many other strategies. Excellent for teachers and counselors the book does not oversimplify the issues, but rather provides useful, practical methods for resolving a variety of problems that students experience, particularly in adolescence. This is a true guide for what adults can say and do to help students of any age group. I recommend it highly."--Science Books and Films
Review
"This exceptionally useful book synthesizes essential knowledge regarding internalizing problems: what they are, how they can best be recognized and assessed, and which specific interventions can produce successful outcomes. Balancing the importance of treatment fidelity with client specificity and real-world practicality, Merrell masterfully integrates contemporary research with his clinical experience in school-based settings. He offers clear, intelligent guidelines for facilitating real change in children and for promoting their optimal social and emotional well-being. Both university trainers and practitioners will find this a superb resource for how to really link assessment to intervention for internalizing problems at individual, family, and school-wide levels. Among the many strengths of this excellent book are the inclusion of social and emotional learning programs for promoting mental health, presented in just the right amount of detail, and the concise informational summary of medications, other treatments, and referral guidelines. I plan to use this text in my classes in child/adolescent interventions and in my own clinical practice. I highly recommend it!"--Harriet Cobb, EdD, Combined-Integrated Doctoral Program in Clinical and School Psychology, James Madison University
"The second edition of this highly regarded book retains the excellent qualities of the original volume. It is well written, easily understandable by the beginning graduate student, and yet clearly of value to the experienced practitioner. The book is highly practical and accessible, contains much hands-on information, and evaluates interventions in terms of their theoretical and empirical support. The important new chapter on social and emotional learning as part of a three-tiered intervention approach expands the discussion currently underway about response-to-intervention models. Faculty will find this book well suited to graduate-level courses in school psychology and counseling; graduate students will welcome its balance between foundational material and practical application."--Caroline H. Wandle, PhD, Director, School Psychology Program, Department of Education, Tufts University
"Depression and anxiety are widely experienced among children and adolescents yet are frequently overlooked and undertreated, especially in schools. In this updated and highly useful guide, Merrell provides a practical, evidence-based approach to the assessment and treatment of these two disorders. A particularly useful addition to the second edition is the information presented on social and emotional learning and its utility for mental health promotion. This text fills a major need among mental health professionals working in schools, including school psychologists, counselors, and social workers. In addition, it is an excellent text for college and university courses in developmental psychopathology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, child/adolescent counseling and psychotherapy, and school-based interventions."--David N. Miller, PhD, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York
Review
"Practicality is the strength of the book. Guidelines are clear and the diversity of programs introduced provides the reader with ability to choose those which are most relevant and implementable in their schools or other settings. The clinical and educational aspects of problem management are well presented and professionals with different levels of involvement in child and youth health care can all benefit. The style and scope of the book can accommodate a wide diversity of settings and clients, on both international and multicultural levels....The author manages to simplify issues to permit the reader to comprehend them properly and put those understandings into practice, yet the text also preserves an appreciation of the complexity and sensitivity of the problems....The book is well organized and indexed to help people from different professions to benefit equally within their own perspectives. It is a valuable addition to any library."--Educational Review
Review
"There are many things to like about this book....While techniques presented are eclectic, most are influenced by cognitive-behavioral and psychoeducational approaches. Of particular appeal is that these strategies are practical and can be used in the school setting. Guidelines are provided as to how to adapt techniques to students of different age and ability levels....Potential difficulties that might arise during assessment and intervention and how to handle and resolve these are provided. Of particular value are the many reproducible worksheets corresponding to various assessment and treatment approaches."--NASP Communiqué
Review
"Merrell offers in this work a comprehensive survey of the budding literature on the subject, available programs for addressing the growing crisis in children's mental health, and, especially impressive, a smorgasbord of technical responses for prevention and intervention....Merrell's guidebook is an excellent refresher course for professionals working in the field of child and adolescent counseling. The strongest benefit of this guidebook resides in the wealth of intervention techniques that are outlined in great detail and complemented with tracking charts and self-scoring registers to map client successes and challenges....Merrell's guidebook offers the professional mental health counselor a wealth of options for treatments of depression and anxiety in young people. But parents and teachers as well would greatly benefit from keeping this guidebook on hand and applying its various innovative strategies in helping their young wards to deal successfully with an increasingly alienating and isolating, industrialized, consumerist world."--Metapsychology Online Reviews
Synopsis
Depression, anxiety, and other internalizing disorders can have severe and lasting consequences for children and adolescents. This unique book provides the school-based practitioner with clear-cut strategies for addressing these problems creatively and effectively with students in grades K-12. A concise overview of the nature, development, and course of childhood depression and anxiety is delineated, and a comprehensive assessment model is outlined. Chapters then present a wide range of empirically supported interventions that are easy to implement and readily adaptable to diverse settings. Featured cognitive-behavioral and psychoeducational techniques are described in jargon-free language, and numerous reproducible worksheets are included to facilitate the practitioner's day-to-day work. Other topics covered include currently available psychiatric medications for depression and anxiety, and when and how a psychiatric referral should be made.
Synopsis
Now in a revised and expanded second edition, this bestselling guide provides expert information and clear-cut strategies for assessing and treating internalizing problems in school settings. More than 40 specific psychoeducational and psychosocial intervention techniques are detailed, with a focus on approaches that are evidence based, broadly applicable, and easy to implement. Including 26 ready-to-use worksheets, in a large-size format with permission to photocopy, the second edition has been updated throughout to ensure its currency and clinical utility. Coverage of psychiatric medications has been extensively revised with the latest developments and findings. A new chapter addresses prevention-oriented social and emotional learning curricula for the classroom.
This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 223-226) and indexes.
About the Author
Kenneth W. Merrell, PhD, until his death in 2011, was Professor of School Psychology and Director of the Oregon Resiliency Project at the University of Oregon. For 25 years, Dr. Merrell's influential teaching and research focused on social-emotional assessment and intervention for at-risk children and adolescents and social-emotional learning in schools. He published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles; several books and nationally normed assessment instruments; and the Strong Kids programs, a comprehensive social and emotional learning curriculum. Dr. Merrell was a Fellow of the Division of School Psychology (Division 16) and the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Division 53) of the American Psychological Association. He received the Senior Scientist Award from Division 16, the Division's highest honor for excellence in science.
Table of Contents
1. Understanding Internalizing Problems: Depression and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents
2. How Internalizing Problems Develop and Are Maintained
3. Guidelines for Assessment and Intervention Planning
4. Social and Emotional Learning: An Important Tool for Promoting Mental Health
5. Comprehensive Intervention Programs for Depression
6. Changing Thoughts and Beliefs: Cognitive Therapy Interventions for Depression
7. Changing Thoughts and Beliefs: Rational-Emotive Therapy, Attribution Retraining, Learned Optimism, and Journal-Writing Strategies
8. Other Strategies for Depression
9. Behavioral Treatments for Anxiety: Systematic Desensitization and Other Techniques
10. Skills Training and Other Treatments for Anxiety
11. Finding More Help: Referral Guidelines for Mental Health Counseling, Medications, and Alternative Treatments
*Index of Intervention Programs and General Intervention Strategies, with Descriptions of Purpose and Developmental Level
*List of Specific Treatment Techniques for Depression and Anxiety, Grouped by Program Component
*Appendix: Reproducible Worksheets