Abstract
Infant and early childhood mental health is an emerging interdisciplinary field which has seen rapid growth over the last 30 years. This introductory chapter presents an overview and lays out the themes on which the remaining chapters of the book elaborate. It begins with a history of the field and then presents several definitions of infant and early childhood mental health, followed by a survey of theoretical models which attempt to conceptualize infant and early childhood mental health. Current empirical research in child development, based on the assumption that infants develop within a family context, posits that development is best understood in terms of the relationship between infants and the adults around them and infants’ temperament (i.e., their inborn characteristics). Consolidating a sense of self and making sense of the world results from transactions between the developing infant and a responsive environment.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
