The problem is not that there are
problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems
is a problem. (Theodore
Rubin)

Even
though many physicians, parents and early childhood educators might still
believe that infants and toddlers are too young to have social and emotional
problems, or that they will ‘grow out of it’, research suggests that
identifying infants and toddlers at risk of behavioral, social and emotional
problems is crucial. Early recognition can prevent problem behavior from
becoming the standard. What’s more, considering the strong relationship between
childhood social and emotional problems and later delinquency and criminality,
early interventions may reduce the staggering social costs associated with
criminal behavior.

Research into the prevalence of emotional and behavioral disorders
in young children is relatively new, and its development is challenged by the
question as to what really constitutes an emotional or behavioral ‘problem’. Gimpel
and Holland consequently caution against
too much faith in statistical figures. Still, recent studies estimate that the
prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems in preschool children has
increased over the past two decades to more than 10%. This number is
considerably higher among preschool and kindergarten children who live in an
‘at risk’ environment. Gimpel and Holland’s text is part of the intervention methodologies whose
development has expanded together with the prevalence of problems in young
children. Emotional and
Behavioral Problems of Young Children addresses early intervention and prevention methods specifically
for children in the pre-school and kindergarten age group.

Emotional
and Behavioral Problems of Young Children begins with an overview of common problems,
which Gimpel and Holland have categorized into internal and external problems,
abuse and neglect problems and pervasive developmental disorders (additionally,
there is a miscellaneous category). In the second chapter, Gimpel and Holland discuss some of the mental
health-screening tools for young children, which have been developed over the
past decade. Gimpel and Holland discuss characteristics of standardized social /emotional /
behavior screening tools, most of which assess general social and emotional
behaviors as well as adaptive abilities and play skills. Gimpel and Holland also discuss qualitative
methods, such as interviews with teachers, parents, child, and observation
techniques and offer thus an inclusive and comprehensive approach to early
intervention.

While
Gimpel and Holland note the disagreement and controversy as
to how and even whether to diagnose young children, they do not engage
in this question. Relying a fair bit on the equally controversial DSM-IV
classification of problems, they leave contentious and unsettling questions
unanswered, and simply proceed to direct the various intervention strategies
described in Chapters 3 through 6 at the set of symptoms displayed by the
child. This is perhaps one shortcoming of Emotional and Behavioral Problems
of Young Children. The authors positively accept the medical paradigm that
having a problem is a ‘pathology’. In their unquestioning embrace of dominant
ideologies of ‘normality’ and ‘abnormality’, they fail to address important
issues related to the establishment of pathology, such as the possible effect
of diagnosing ‘pathology’ on the identity formation of the child and the social
implications of pathology for the child and its family. And these implications
may indeed be largely negative.

Having said that, Gimpel and Holland did not set out to explore philosophical questions about
normality but rather, to provide practical and effective information as well as
intervention techniques for problems exhibited by pre-schoolers and
kindergartners. And they have succeeded in doing just that. The intervention
methods they describe are easy to implement for clinicians working with young
children in educational and non-educational settings. Additionally, Emotional and Behavioral Problems of
Young Children
provides parents who are concerned about the emotional or behavioral development
of their children with practical, effective and applicable information. While
it leaves questions related to the deeper meaning and social construction of
emotional and behavioral problems unanswered, Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Young Children is a helpful, practical
resource for anybody who works with children in the preschool and kindergarten
years.

© 2005 Gerda Wever-Rabehl

Gerda Wever-Rabehl holds a Ph.D from Simon Fraser University, and has published
extensively in the areas of social science, philosophy and philosophy of
 education.

Categories: ChildhoodDisorders, MentalHealth