Understanding Emotional Development: Providing Insight into Human Lives

The development of our emotions through childhood, adolescence and beyond has been a topic of significant interest in recent years. From insights gathered through neuroscience, to research on resilience and regulation, the literature is excitingly diverse, enabling a range of professionals to better understand the emotional pathways that children follow, and the emotional difficulties that some experience. Drawing on recent research from neuroscience, psychology, education and social welfare, Understanding Emotional Development provides a comprehensive overview of the full course of emotional development, from infancy and toddlerhood to key changes which occur during adolescence.

The chapters cover the core drivers of healthy emotional development, and also the development of emotions in adverse circumstances. The book also shows how research on emotional development can be applied to a range of professional fields, and there are also numerous case studies of individual children further demonstrating the applications of this research. Written in an engaging and accessible style, each chapter contains a number of pedagogical features to help students to engage with the material: a summary, points for discussion, and further reading.

The book will be essential reading on all courses covering social and emotional development, and it will also be of interest to professionals working in education, child welfare, and social work.