Child Development: A Practitioner's Guide

Review
"This is indeed a practitioner's guide to child development. Davies presents frontier understanding of the complex interactions between child and experience that underlie all developmental achievements leading to both healthy and problematic child behavior. Combining advanced academic knowledge with applications to specific child problems, the author provides both students and those already involved in clinical work and intervention efforts a clarity of vision into how developmental symptoms arise and how they can be alleviated. This text is an excellent preparation for undergraduates and graduate students interested in understanding and improving the lives of children."--Arnold J. Sameroff, PhD

"I highly recommend this second edition for courses in child development or human behavior in the social environment. Although the text provides the depth and complexity required for graduate-level students, it could easily be adapted for use with undergraduates. The author expertly integrates knowledge of human development with practice examples and strategies, helpfully organized by developmental stage. Case studies are rich in complexity and cultural diversity, and provide challenging, realistic material for discussions and assignments. In particular, I appreciated the inclusion of multiple case studies involving child maltreatment and family violence, trauma, and parental substance use--all difficult but common issues that can profoundly affect child development and practice with children and families. The underlying risk and resilience framework offers a cutting-edge perspective on child development that resonates well with social work practice philosophies. Readable, well-organized, and engaging."--Kristen Shook Slack, PhD, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"No one else writes about attachment and development with the wisdom and genuineness of Douglas Davies. This second edition has retained all the graceful writing and richness of content of its predecessor, but now has an expanded scope. Included are additional cross-cultural studies and case examples, many more descriptions of normal child behavior, references to current policy, and updates in all areas of developmental research. Of great significance is a detailed, comprehensive chapter on brain development that is both knowledgeable and clear. I find this book useful both in the classroom with graduate students and in clinical practice with families. When psychological writing unfolds with such ease and candor, when the information seems to flow from one subject to the next, you know you are reading the work of a gifted writer and clinician. An exceptional text."--Sallie Foley, MSW, Graduate School of Social Work, University of Michigan

"This new edition, while specifically aimed at those in social work, contains thought-provoking material for any student of child development. The new chapter on brain development updates and extends Davies's developmental pathways conception in useful ways, and the thorough vignettes help to engage students in consideration of what development looks like in actual life."--Katheryn East, EdD, Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations, College of Education, University of Northern Iowa

"I used the previous edition of this text in a cognitive development course for psychology doctoral students. Numerous students reported that the text was a tremendous resource both professionally and personally. The chapters are concise yet deeply informative and generate great discussions, and the author has a gift for helping students stay connected and stimulated. The coverage of brain development and other new topics in the second edition will make this text even more comprehensive and useful. In addition to graduate courses, I could see using this book in undergraduate courses as well."--Valerie Correa, PsyD, LMFT, School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University



Review
"...the content should prove useful to students and more seasoned practitioners of Psychiatry; as well as other mental health care professionals, Douglas Davies writes in an easily readable style with clinical examples well integrated throughout his presentations of theory and discussions of developmental stages from infancy through pre-adolescent ages....its strength lies in its concise presentation and excellent integration of theoretical concepts and clinical applications. The emphasis on the transactional nature of development may also be useful to those who have not received much prior training about attachment and the reciprocal influence of wider systematic and sociocultural factors on individual developmental pathways."--The Canadian Child Psychiatry Review

"I have used this book for teaching a course on the development of the young child for students who will be day-care providers or teachers. The students found the book readable and useful....The book is certainly more textured than a typical child development textbook and I find that to its credit."--Contemporary Psychology

"...gives very useful perspective of how one might think about the field of development because it does not try to cover every detail; rather, it presents a conceptually integrated view of the field. In my estimation, this makes the book particularly useful for practitioners who have at least a rudimentary understanding of development....I have used this book for teaching a course on the development of the young child for students who will be day-care providers or teachers. The students found the book readable and useful....The book is certainly more textured than a typical child development textbook and I find that to its credit."--Contemporary Psychology

"...rich case examples demonstrate how developmental trajectories may go awry and how clinicians may go about the task of attempting to understand and to address maturational difficulties. A particularly valuable part of the text is the description of "normal" children at each stage of the life cycle and exercises for practitioners to go about observing the evolving capacities in children." --Journal of Psychotherapy in Independent Practice



Book Description
Now in a revised and expanded second edition, this indispensable clinical resource and text helps readers understand the latest developmental knowledge and apply it in their work with children and families. The book begins with a framework elucidating the transactions between individual development and the child's wider environment, and emphasizing the crucial role of attachment. Key developmental processes and tasks from infancy through middle childhood are then discussed in paired chapters that respectively address how children of different ages typically feel, think, and behave, and how to intervene effectively with those who are having difficulties. Ideally structured for classroom use, the second edition has been updated throughout to reflect current research, practice advances, and policy issues. Included are an important new chapter on the developing brain and expanded coverage of applications for child care and school settings.



Book Info
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Describes child development and how it can be applied to practice with children. Each informational chapter is followed by a practice chapter that presents ways of applying theoretical and factual information about development. For practitioners.


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Now in a revised and expanded second edition, this indispensable clinical resource and text helps readers understand the latest developmental knowledge and apply it in their work with children and families. The book begins with a framework elucidating the transactions between individual development and the child's wider environment, and emphasizing the crucial role of attachment. Key developmental processes and tasks from infancy through middle childhood are then discussed in paired chapters that respectively address how children of different ages typically feel, think, and behave, and how to intervene effectively with those who are having difficulties. Ideally structured for classroom use, the second edition has been updated throughout to reflect current research, practice advances, and policy issues. Included are an important new chapter on the developing brain and expanded coverage of applications for child care and school settings.



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