Dissociation in Children and Adolescents A Developmental Perspective [Hardcover]

Presenting a comprehensive developmental approach, this book examines the origins and course of normal and pathological dissociation in children and adolescents. The volume illustrates the critical connection between pathological dissociation and trauma, and provides a clear synthesis of what is known about the psychobiology of dissociative disorders and the effects of pathological dissociation on cognition, memory, and behavior. Amply illustrated with clinical vignettes, the book describes an array of diagnostic and treatment techniques and includes reproducible copies of validated dissociation scales for all age groups.

This beautifully written volume addresses the very core of how children and adolescents organize traumatic experiences: by dissociating. The rich mixture of empirical data and clinical observations makes this the indispensable tool for any clinician or researcher who cares to understand why these children behave the ways they do, and which treatments are effective in alleviating both their own suffering and the pain they often inflict on others. --Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine

Masterful....It is indeed a rare pleasure to find the most relevant and contemporary research on this topic so well articulated....This is indubitably one of the most useful additions to any professional library. --Eliana Gil, PhD

Dr. Frank Putnam's most recent book,Dissociation in Children and Adolescents: A Developmental Approach, is a welcome addition to the literature on childhood dissociation. Dr. Putnam reviews relevant research on the role of childhood trauma in the development of dissociative phenomena. Especially noteworthy is Putnam's utilization of a developmental framework in order to conceptualize dissociative symptoms as failures in basic developmental processes. The incorporation of clinical case vignettes brings the concepts described to life and makes thel“.