Charting the Experience of Children and Adolescents Affected by Emotional Neglect

Ewa Wojtyna is Associate Professor of Psychology and a Medical Doctor, Institute of Medical Science, University of Opole, Poland.Marcin Gierczyk, Doctor of Social Science in Pedagogy, Associate Professor, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland.

"In this book, Wojtyna and Gierczyk delve into the area of emotional neglect – an area that has thus far been under-researched. Emotional neglect has widespread consequences for the development of children not only in the earlier years, but it also has far-reaching consequences and impact across multiple domains and children’s trajectories even into adulthood. Therefore, the field of child/adolescent mental health and wellbeing will benefit immensely from the research and insights from [this] book. […] This is the first book to systematically present and synthesize knowledge in the field of child neglect, carefully focusing on developmental life stages from infancy through adolescence, and into adulthood."Rebecca P. Ang, Professor, Psychology and Child & Human Development, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore."The book contributes to the conversation on the historical, societal, and cultural interpretations regarding these caregiving practices, as communities may allow for greater variation in emotional responsiveness based on their views of parenting and the child-parent relationship. This is a subject of much debate, and a book like Wojtyna and Gierczyk's helps to identify the challenges we still face in better understanding and addressing this social problem."Delphine Collin-Vézina, Full Professor, School of Social Work, and Director, Centre for Research on Children and Families Director, McGill University, Canada."[This book] provides a much-needed primer on how emotional neglect manifests in and throughout childhood and adolescence. […] Charting the Experience of Children and Adolescents Affected by Emotional Neglect offers a rich, updated review on the concept and outcomes of neglect in childhood. […] The visuals throughout most of the chapters are particularly helpful in simplifying what are very complex ideas around social and emotional neglect in relationships. Backed by sound research, the book provokes new ways of thinking about how we are all managing (or not and why not) in the face of rapid cultural change."M. Catherine Maternowska brings over three decades of field-based research, programming and evaluation of violence prevention policy and practice spanning the Americas, Africa and Asia with a focus on children and women.

• 1. Emotional neglect - a problem that has been neglected for too long2. Invisibility in the spotlight - pitfalls of understanding healthy development in the context of recent cultural changes3. The social brain - neurobiological and evolutionary mechanisms related to neglect4. Infancy - being noticed equals surviving5. Toddlerhood - first steps under the watchful eye of an adult6. Early childhood – first experiences beyond the boundaries of the home7. Middle childhood - opening or closing opportunities for self-development8. Adolescence - find your own place and recognize yourself9. Emotional neglect in childhood - perspectives from many years later10. Taking care of neglected needs