Human Behavior, Learning, and the Developing Brain: Atypical Development
Donna Coch (Editor), Geraldine Dawson (Editor), Kurt W. FischerBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Thoroughly Examining Brain-Behavior Relationships in Atypically Developing Children, this important volume integrates theories and data from multiple disciplines. Leading authorities present research on specific clinical problems, including autism, Williams syndrome, learning and language disabilities, ADHD, and issues facing infants of diabetic mothers. In addition, the effects of social stress and maltreatment on brain development and behavior are reviewed. Demonstrating the uses of cutting-edge methods from developmental neuroscience, developmental psychology, and cognitive science, the contributors emphasize the implications of their findings for real-world educational and clinical practices. Illustrations include eight pages in full color.
Synopsis
Thoroughly examining brain-behavior relationships in atypically developing children, this important volume integrates theories and data from multiple disciplines. Leading authorities present research on specific clinical problems, including autism, Williams syndrome, learning and language disabilities, ADHD, and issues facing infants of diabetic mothers. In addition, the effects of social stress and maltreatment on brain development and behavior are reviewed. Demonstrating the uses of cutting-edge methods from developmental neuroscience, developmental psychology, and cognitive science, the contributors emphasize the implications of their findings for real-world educational and clinical practices. Illustrations include eight pages in full color.
PsycCRITIQUES
"A fascinating introduction to the rapidly developing field of developmental cognitive neuroscience and its implications for advancing our understanding of developmental psychopathology. It should be particularly valuable in orienting graduate students to exciting new possibilities for increasing understanding and remediation of debilitating disabilities that have eluded researchers'' efforts to solve the mysteries that limit the quality of life of untold numbers of children and adults."--PsycCRITIQUES
Editorials
PsycCRITIQUES
"A fascinating introduction to the rapidly developing field of developmental cognitive neuroscience and its implications for advancing our understanding of developmental psychopathology. It should be particularly valuable in orienting graduate students to exciting new possibilities for increasing understanding and remediation of debilitating disabilities that have eluded researchers' efforts to solve the mysteries that limit the quality of life of untold numbers of children and adults."--PsycCRITIQUESNew England Journal of Medicine
"There is a wealth of well-organized information."--The New England Journal of MedicineJournal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
"This book provides a useful description of research describing brain-behavior relationships in individuals with certain specific developmental disorders."--Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryFrom the Publisher
"In this valuable collection, leading scientists present the latest findings about the biological bases of developmental disorders, including dyslexia, autism, and attentional deficits. The book also includes early markers for these disorders, as well as appropriate educational interventions."--Howard Gardner, PhD, Harvard Graduate School of Education "The exciting interdisciplinary venture of clinical developmental cognitive neuroscience has come of age with this volume. More and more students from the behavioral sciences are eager to learn how brain, cognition, and behavior are linked. In this book, they will find that the atypically developing brain tells us more about human learning and human behavior than the typically developing brain ever reveals. But atypical development, as seen in autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, or Williams syndrome, is also fascinating in its own right. The stellar array of authors represented in this volume guarantees that the reader will be provided with state-of-the-art information about neurodevelopmental disorders. No undergraduate or graduate course on the topic can do without this book."--Uta Frith, PhD, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University College London "Contributors in this important volume utilize multiple levels of analysis in order to more fully explicate the interplay between typical and atypical developmental processes. In synthesizing the fields of cognitive and affective neuroscience and developmental psychopathology, the book presents novel conceptual and methodological tools for studying adaptive, maladaptive, and resilient developmental outcomes. This book is an essential addition to the libraries of neuroscientists, developmental psychopathologists, and graduate students in related disciplines."--Dante Cicchetti, PhD, Institute of Child Development and Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota "These twin volumes beautifully document how much recent progress there has been in the new field of developmental cognitive neuroscience. Presenting a very clear exposition of the close links between typical and atypical development at multiple levels of analysis, the books will be of value to anyone who studies human development or applies developmental knowledge."--Bruce F. Pennington, PhD, Dept. of Psychology, University of Denver "It is exceedingly difficult to keep up with the rapidly changing area of human cognitive development, learning, and the brain. Now, in this pair of volumes, leading contributors summarize our current understanding of normal and atypical development across the cognitive and emotional spectrum. These volumes will sit near many desks, including mine."--Howard Gardner, PhD, Harvard Graduate School of EducationFrom The Critics
Reviewer: Christopher J. Graver, PhD, ABPP-CN(Madigan Healthcare System)Description: Human development is dynamic in nature, as is development gone awry. Atypical development can be understood through many perspectives that explore complex etiologies, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and remediation. This book covers atypical development from many perspectives and attempts to bridge neuroscience knowledge and educational methods.
Purpose: The intent of this book is to present transdisciplinary research in cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychopathology. This is accomplished with a converging evidence approach to understanding atypical development.
Audience: This book will appeal to a wide audience of psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, educators, speech and language pathologists, and anyone else interested in developmental neuroscience. The editors are accomplished scholars in this field.
Features: The book tackles several specific disorders or diseases that affect development, such as autism, William's Syndrome, and dyslexia. Some chapters provide a brief overview of normal development before launching into the abnormalities of a particular syndrome. Notably, the chapters are not merely introductions, but take a sophisticated look at the syndromes. On the one hand, there is some overlap between chapters. On the other hand, the book covers only a handful of syndromes and it is unclear why these were selected over other, more prevalent syndromes. There are few figures and illustrations, although a book of this sort lends itself to more visual demonstrations of the subject. Additionally, readers will find that some chapter titles miss the mark, such as the one titled "Central Nervous System Substrates of Impulsivity," which is actually a chapter about ADHD that includes some information about impulsivity.
Assessment: In general, this is an interesting book. It provides a sophisticated review of current knowledge regarding particular syndromes and does so through a variety of experimental and clinical perspectives. There is, however, room for improvement. Readers looking for general information regarding neuroscience or atypical development will not find it here, but for those interested in the few syndromes covered in this book, it provides a valuable summary of the current literature.