Advances in Clinical Child Psychology is. a serial publication designed to bring together original summaries of the most important new develop ments in the field of clinical child psychology and its related disciplines. Each chapter is written by a key figure in an innovative area of research or by an individual who is particularly well qualified to comment on a topic of major contemporary importance. These chapters provide con venient, concise explorations of empirical and clinical advances in the field. In Volume 6, the chapters reflect the changing nature of research on the disorders of children. Since the beginning of this series, increasing amounts of innovative and promising research have focused on the classification, etiology, and development of childhood psychopathol ogy. This volume contains chapters on the classification of autism, the nature of sexual abuse, the development of social deficiencies and affec tion, and the important variables of maternal depression, infant-child interactions, sibling interactions, and early temperament. This volume also highlights another significant trend in clinical child psychology-its increasing rapprochement with developmental psychology. A chapter on the importance of cognitive development in dictating child interview strategies is an important example of this trend. We appreciate the roles played by the advisory editors in suggesting excellent topics and thoughtfully editing the chapters. As always, our strongest thanks go to the volume's authors for their outstanding contributions.
