Pointers for Parenting for Mental Health Service Professionals

Rooted in clinical experience, this book evolved as a result of the authors hands–on experience of working with parents and children for over two decades. This useful aid provides a collection of pointers that professionals can use in order to advise on parenting skills. Professionals will also be able to recommend the guide to parents so that the pointers can serve as a reminder of what was discussed during the consultation session. This book also describes an adapted behaviour modification approach which is effective in helping to improve children s behaviours and the parent–child relationship.

Pointers for Parenting for Mental Health Service Professionals is an accessible resource for processionals that work with children and families, for example, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, school medical officers and social workers. It will also be of use to people training in these areas.

About the Authors.

Preface and Overview of the Book.

Acknowledgements.

1. Introduction.

2. Children and parents: some general considerations.

3. Clinical concerns, raised by parents, which have theoretical underpinnings.

4. Essential preliminaries and some key pointers.

5. Important general pointers for parents.

6. An adapted, acceptable, and effective behaviour modifi cation approach.

7. From pointers to practice.

References.

Index.

Rajinder M. Gupta studied psychology at the universities of Cambridge and Manchester. He did his professional training as an educational psychologist at Exeter University and PhD at Aston. Following his training, he worked as an educational psychologist for nearly two decades. In the last 15 years, he has worked as a Child and Adolescent Psychologist in the clinical psychology departments of several NHS trusts in the Midlands and has also helped train a number of clinical psychology trainees studying for their doctorate programme at Birmingham University. His current main area of interest, both from a clinical and academic standpoint, is the study of families with interactional diffi culties with their children and effective and effi cient ways of helping them.

Frederika C. Theus is a licensed clinical psychologist and coordinator of the Child and Adolescent Diagnostic and Family Support Program for the Family Clinic, Institute on Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She provides evaluations for children with suspected or previously diagnosed developmental disabilities as part of a multidisciplinary team. Dr Theus also provides therapy and intervention services to children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities, including autism and Asperger Syndrome. Dr Theus received a Master of Arts degree in Learning Disabilities from Northwestern University, and worked as both a diagnostician and as a Learning Disabilities teacher. She earned her doctorate in psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Dr Theus provides workshops and trainings to parents and professionals on a variety of topics related to assessment and intervention for individuals with developmental disabilities, including dual diagnosis of developmental disabilities and mental health disorders, behavioural intervention, and Asperger Syndrome. She has published on topics related to child development. Dr Theus is a member of the professional advisory committee for the Autism Society of Illinois and the advisory council of the Chicago Southside Autism Support Group.