Understanding the Mental Health Problems of Children and Adolescents: A Guide for Social Workers

Understanding Mental Health Problems of Children and Adolescents is a practical guide to identifying, diagnosing, and treating mental health and substance abuse challenges in children and adolescents. In the book, Kirstin Painter and Maria Scannapieco take on ADHD, childhood trauma, anxiety disorders, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, bipolar disorder, the spectrum of schizophrenia, psychosis, and substance abuse. For each of these, they provide definitions as well as early signs of detection, symptoms, diagnoses, and even treatment options. In doing this, they emphasize the importance of working with youth and caregivers and why social workers should address mental health issues like these using a strengths- and trauma-informed perspective.

Painter and Scannapieco break each diagnosis into two chapters to ensure they give adequate coverage for each diagnosis. The first chapter for each discusses and includes the DSM criteria, the biological aspects of the disorder, differential diagnosing, and a case study applying the diagnostic criteria. The second presents evidence-based treatments and medications and follows-up the preceding case study with a discussion of the outcomes. This new edition includes discussions of the 21st Century Cures Act, cultural humility, techniques for intervention with youth, childhood trauma, and more. The final chapters discuss the importance of collaboration between schools, mental health providers, child protective services, and families.

Promoting positive mental health in youth from a system of care perspective, readers will learn about the mental health issues facing children and adolescents as well as the relevant definitions, etiology, and evidence-based treatments to ensure they can gather enough information to make a proper diagnoses.