Emotional and Behavioral Problems of Young Children

“The intervention methods...are easy to implement for clinicians working with young children in educational and non-educational settings.”

—Metapsychology Online Reviews (on the first edition)


“When asked to work with preschool and kindergarten-age students at risk for emotional and behavior problems, many psychologists often feel poorly prepared due to a lack of training and/or experience. This concise book helps fill this void by providing psychologists with a reference that addresses both assessment and intervention design for this population....Its concise but evidence-based format provides a valuable resource for psychologists, as well as highlighting the need for early intervention. The inclusion of handouts, formats, and forms to assist the practitioner in assessment and/or intervention design is a welcome addition that most will find conducive to practice.”

—NASP Communiqué (on the first edition)


“The up-to-date knowledge about the emotional and behavioral problems of young children is presented here in a clear and systematic way....Hands-on advice is given for parent training and child behavioral training. Teacher training and advice on teacher–parent communication are also part of the didactic goal of the book....I recommend this book to clinicians and educators experienced in dealing with young children and to academicians teaching behavioral interventions with young children and their parents.”

—Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic (on the first edition)


“As a former parent educator and nursery school teacher, as well as a school psychologist and professor, I think this is an excellent 'go-to' book for clinicians or educators who work with young children. The chapter on evaluation provides a thorough review of most assessment tools used with young children, along with helpful information about observing children and interviewing teachers and parents. Chapters on specific mental health issues are illustrative of the authors' multifaceted approach, and are filled with intervention recommendations that have been proven effective. Throughout, the detailed discussions of how to work with parents are themselves worth the price of the book!”

—Catherine Christo, PhD, College of Education (Emeritus), California State University, Sacramento


“This 'must-read' second edition provides clear, data-driven suggestions for a wide audience of child practitioners, ranging from preprofessional trainees to seasoned clinicians. If you are looking for a comprehensive, up-to-date resource on how to intervene with young children who present with problem behavior in the school or home setting, then this book should be your choice. The content is in keeping with the current movement toward transdiagnostic approaches in child clinical and school psychology. The interventions are modular, context specific, and tailored appropriately for young children.”

—Kurt D. Michael, PhD, Department of Psychology, Appalachian State University


“A wonderful resource for both private practice and school settings. The authors clearly outline evidence-based assessment strategies and interventions for common emotional and behavioral problems in young children. They address the critical component of how to implement the methods within schoolwide systems such as MTSS. This is essential reading for practitioners who want to learn more about specific strategies to help families.”

—Kira Christensen, MS, LEP, school psychologist, San Juan Unified School District, California


“This important work will prove invaluable to seasoned practitioners as well as psychology graduate students. I appreciate the practical guidance it offers to a range of clinical concerns, and am certain that mental health professionals will find it immediately useful in their work with young children and their parents.”

—Stephen E. Brock, PhD, NCSP, Professor and School Psychology Program Coordinator, Department of Graduate and Professional Studies in Education, California State University, Sacramento