ERIC Number: ED515139
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Dec
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Mental Health Problems in Early Childhood Can Impair Learning and Behavior for Life. Working Paper #6
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child
Significant mental health problems can and do occur in young children. In some cases, these problems can have serious consequences for early learning, social competence, and lifelong health. Furthermore, the foundations of many mental health problems that endure through adulthood are established early in life through the interaction of genetic predispositions and sustained, stress-inducing experiences. This knowledge should motivate practitioners and policymakers alike to address mental health problems at their origins, rather than only when they become more serious later in life. This report summarizes in clear language the most recent scientific advances regarding the importance of addressing emerging emotional and behavioral problems in the early years, and the implications of those findings for policy. [This report was sponsored by The Pierre and Pamela Omidyar Fund.]
Descriptors: Mental Health, Young Children, Interpersonal Competence, Child Development, Emotional Disturbances, Behavior Problems, Public Policy, Early Intervention, Stress Variables, Genetics, Environmental Influences, Poverty, Brain, Age Differences, Adults, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Anxiety Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression (Psychology), Developmental Disabilities, Resilience (Psychology), Interpersonal Relationship, Misconceptions, Drug Therapy, Disadvantaged Youth, Health Services, Access to Health Care, Counseling, Cultural Differences
National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. Available from: Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. 50 Church Street 4th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. Tel: 617-496-0578; Fax: 617-496-1229; e-mail: developingchild@harvard.edu; Web site: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/council/
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Birth to Five Policy Alliance; Buffett Early Childhood Fund; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Authoring Institution: National Scientific Council on the Developing Child
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A