Impairment and disability are widely used terms, yet considerable disagreement exists as to their relationship—especially when impairment means different things to different professionals in the fields of mental health, medicine, and education. Although diagnostic criteria for various disorders are clearly detailed in the DSM-IV and elsewhere, criteria for impairment remain elusive. And patients with severe limitations but minimal symptoms, or the reverse, further complicate the discussion. The first in-depth treatment of the theory, definition, and evaluation of this core concept, Assessing Impairment: From Theory to Practice cuts through the confusion and cross-talk. Leading scholars and clinicians offer a robust evidence base for a much-needed reconceptualization of impairment within the context of diagnosis and disability, arguing for a wide-ranging quality-of-life perspective. This contextual approach to assessment goes beyond mere symptom counting, resulting in more accurate diagnosis, targeted interventions, and improved patient functioning. Within this concise but comprehensive volume, coverage focuses on key areas including: Current conceptualizations from the DSM-IV and other medical models. Methodologies for measuring symptom severity and impairment. Social/behavioral issues, such as resilience, adaptive behaviors, and family environment. Developmental issues across the life span. Legal and ethical questions and civil rights issues. Impairment and disability as they relate to trauma. The interdisciplinary model proposed in Assessing Impairment gives clinicians vital tools for working with the unique limitations and strengths of every patient. Child, school, and educational psychologists will find it particularly useful, given the critical importance of early detection and the complexity of young people’s lives.

Help your children develop essential social skills—including groups, one-on-one interactions, and virtual communication—with these 150 easy, fun activities to teach your kids how to socially succeed. From taking turns to making eye contact to staying engaged during conversations, developing appropriate social skills is an important factor for kids to be able to succeed in school and life in general. But how can you tell if your child is really making progress while you read the same stories, have the same conversations, and chaperone the same playdates? The answer is to add some variety to your child’s daily activities with these 150 exercises specially designed to keep your child (and their friends) entertained, all while teaching them effective social skills. In Social Skills for Kids, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how social skills develop in children and what you can do to support their growth. In this book, you’ll find games to encourage them in group settings, activities that you (or another caregiver) can do alone with your child, and ways to make the most of virtual interactions for social skill development. So whether you’re looking for new activities to entertain a few friends during playtime, searching for fun (and educational) games you and your child can play together, or even interested in ways to include people you can’t physically visit, Social Skills for Kids has all the tools you need to help your child develop the social skills they need to succeed.

This is a practical photocopiable guide to setting up and running social skills groups. The ideas presented will act as a stimulus to therapists and trainers working with clients who need to develop more effective social communication skills. Based on well-established therapeutic principles, it contains: an overview of pertinent theory and the principles of groupwork; and, a range of useful and adaptable ideas for practical activities designed to facilitate social communication skills. It starts with basic, confidence-building tasks and progresses to more complex assignments. All activities are easy to implement and clearly laid out with information on format, resources required and tips for group leaders.

As demand for psychological services continues to increase, assessment of personality and behavior continues to be a central activity. When dealing with children and adolescents, psychological assessment can present even greater challenges. This book provides a review of personality and behavior in children and adolescents within a context of the psychological knowledge base necessary for contemporary assessment practice. It is also useful for clinicians who are looking for updated personality and behavior assessment information.