Infant Mental Health: An Interdisciplinary Framework for Early Social and Emotional Development

Abstract

We review historical factors that led to the creation of the interdisciplinary field of infant mental health. The history of infant mental health is linked to transformations in scientific knowledge about infancy that emerged primarily in the 20th century, particularly with respect to social and emotional development. Contemporary challenges for the infant mental health field focus on research, practice, and policy issues that reflect these shifts and impact our understanding of the dynamic social, emotional, and cultural forces that shape early development.