Carolyn S. Schroeder - Böcker

There are few things that stir up our culture more than sex, particularly sex and children. Sexual behavior in children represents, to far too many people, further proof of the moral decay of our society. Any issue that provokes as strong an emotional reaction as childhood sexuality is obviously in need of a rational discussion. The best features of thought and reason include their moderating influence on overheated and reaction emotions. Consequently, this book by Betty Gordon and Carolyn Schroeder represents a very important, and even brave, counter to irrationality. When the Surgeon General of the United States is forced to resign because the words "children" and "masturbation" appear in the same sentence, you know that there is a great deal of misunderstanding about sexuality. My own evolution as a researcher in the area of child sexual abuse is a model of how naivete can be corrected by knowledge. Some of my early research in sexual abuse of children led me to realize that sexual behavior was a reliable marker of victimization in a relatively large percentage of children (Friedrich, Urquiza, & Beilke, 1986). My blinders to sexuality were evident in that I had not even hypothesized that to be the case in this early, exploratory research. When I realized how important sexual behavior was, several colleagues and I set out to interview parents and foster parents of sexually abused children more specifically. These adults were routinely quite reactive to our queries.

There are few things that stir up our culture more than sex, particularly sex and children. Sexual behavior in children represents, to far too many people, further proof of the moral decay of our society. Any issue that provokes as strong an emotional reaction as childhood sexuality is obviously in need of a rational discussion. The best features of thought and reason include their moderating influence on overheated and reaction emotions. Consequently, this book by Betty Gordon and Carolyn Schroeder represents a very important, and even brave, counter to irrationality. When the Surgeon General of the United States is forced to resign because the words "children" and "masturbation" appear in the same sentence, you know that there is a great deal of misunderstanding about sexuality. My own evolution as a researcher in the area of child sexual abuse is a model of how naivete can be corrected by knowledge. Some of my early research in sexual abuse of children led me to realize that sexual behavior was a reliable marker of victimization in a relatively large percentage of children (Friedrich, Urquiza, & Beilke, 1986). My blinders to sexuality were evident in that I had not even hypothesized that to be the case in this early, exploratory research. When I realized how important sexual behavior was, several colleagues and I set out to interview parents and foster parents of sexually abused children more specifically. These adults were routinely quite reactive to our queries.

This encyclopedia is an authoritative and comprehensive resource that provides information on a broad array of problems and issues related to children, adolescents, and their families as defined by the fields of clinical child and pediatric psychology. It is designed to be of particular interest and use to laypersons, parents and grandparents, and undergraduate and graduate students in training, as well as to diverse medical and mental health professionals who live with and/or work with young persons but who have limited information on a particular topics. Inasmuch as the scope of clinical child and pediatric psychology is extensive, a range of topics is included that cover typical and atypical development, physical and mental health problems and disorders, assessment and treatment methods, and professional issues such as training and ethics. For those interested in further information a list of readings is included for each topic or entry. The topics are listed in alphabetical order to aid in the quick retrieval of information and the Index is extensive in its cross-listing of topics.Encyclopedia of Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology should be most beneficial to anyone who desires to obtain brief, authoritative information on a particular topic or issue affecting children and their development, whether that development is characterized as typical or atypical.

The Encyclopedia of Clinical Child and Pediatric children, adolescents, and their families with a focus on Psychology is intended to be an authoritative and com­ understanding, preventing, diagnosing and treating psychological, cognitive, emotional, developmental, prehensive resource that provides up-to-date informa­ tion on a broad array of problems and issues related to behavioral, and family problems of children. Of partic­ children, adolescents, and their families as defined by ular importance to clinical child psychologists is an the fields of clinical child and pediatric psychology. It is understanding of the basic psychological needs of children and the social contexts that influence child designed to be of particular interest and use to layper­ sons, parents and grandparents, and undergraduate and development and adjustment. Thus, typical and atypical graduate students in training, as well as diverse medical development and the impact of life stresses are of and mental health professionals who live with and/or concern for the clinical child psychologist. work with young persons but who have limited infor­ The specialty of pediatric psychology, like clinical mation on a particular topics. Inasmuch as the scope of child psychology, is interested in the psychological needs clinical child and pediatric psychology is extensive, a of children but the focus is on the psychosocial aspects range of topics is included that cover typical and atyp­ of illness.