Child mental health: Recent developments with respect to risk, resilience, and interventions

Abstract

The chapter focuses on risk and protective factors in children’s behavioral and emotional health. There is special emphasis on emerging research in the field of chronic stress, trauma, and poverty as especially powerful in influencing child development. Protective factors are reviewed including the role of family, schools, and community support in terms of resilience in dealing with these challenges. Next we discuss effective family and school-based intervention programs with special reference to early detection of at-risk youth as well as trauma-informed interventions in schools and residential care. In addition, broad-based school-based programs designed to incorporate social–emotional learning involving teacher training and classroom management are discussed. Finally, we review current promising prevention efforts as well as the role public policy may play in prevention and improved access to care.