Language, Learning, and Behavior Disorders: Developmental, Biological, and Clinical Perspectives

Language as a connecting bridge between learning disability and psychiatric disorder is the unifying theme of this wide-ranging book. Particular prominence is given to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and autistic disorder. Explanations for the comorbidity of psychiatric and language disorder are sought in developmental, cognitive and biological fields, the contribution of imaging modalities is considered and implications for aetiology, treatment and rehabilitation are explored. Topical issues such as syndrome definition in dyslexia, acquired memory disorder in childhood and biology-behaviour correspondence are well covered, as are a range of treatment options. A final section is devoted to outcome studies. Enlivened with case vignettes, and offering insights into the range of current thinking on language and behaviour, this book is a rich resource for professionals and advanced students concerned with child health and development, offering ideas for a unified view of language, learning and behaviour problems.

Table of Contents:
Contributors; Preface; Part I. Developmental Perspective: Introduction Nancy J. Cohen; 1. Language and emotion: a developmental perspective Philip S. Dale; 2. Understanding language dysfunction from a developmental perspective: an overview of pragmatic theories Peter Chaban; 3. Atypical ontogeny: atypical development from a developmental perspective Bryna Siegel; 4. Language and psychopathology: an attachment perspective Patricia M. Crittenden; 5. Developmental changes in the mechanisms linking language disabilities and behaviour disorders Jim Stevenson; Part II. Language Impairment and Psychiatric Disorder: Introduction Rosemary Tannock; 6. Unsuspected language impairments in psychiatrically disturbed children: developmental issues and associated conditions Nancy J. Cohen; 7. Executive dysfunction as an underlying mechanism of behaviour and language problems in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Rosemary Tannock and Russell Schachar; 8. Discourse deficits in childhood schizophrenia Rochelle Caplan; 9. Comorbidity of autistic disorder and specific developmental language disorder: existing evidence and some promising future directions M. Mary Konstantareas and J. H. Beitchman; Part III. Learning Disabilities: Concepts, Comorbidity and Heritability: Introduction J. H. Beitchman; 10. A conceptual model and definition of dyslexia: findings emerging from the Connecticut longitudinal study Sally E. Shaywitz, Jack M. Fletcher and Bennett A. Shaywitz; 11. Phonological recoding deficits and dyslexia: a developmental perspective Margaretha C. Vandervelden and Linda S. Siegel; 12. Cognitive functioning, learning disability and school failure in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a family study perspective Stephen V. Faraone, Joseph Biederman and Kathleen Kiely; 13. Twin studies of reading disability J. C. DeFries and Jacquelyn Gillis Light; Part IV. Biological Considerations: Introduction J. H. Beitchman; 14. Neuroimaging and functional brain analysis William J. Logan; 15. Neurochemical correlates of academic achievement deficits and aggressive behavior in children with ADHD Jeffrey M. Halperin, Jeffrey H. Newcorn and Vanshdeep Sharma; 16. Acquired disorders of memory in childhood Penelope Krener; 17. Interaction between language and cognition: evidence from Williams Syndrome Michael Rossen, Edward S. Klima, Ursula Bellugi, Amy Bihrle and Wendy Jones; Part V. Intervention: Introduction M. Mary Konstantareas; 18. Multimodal treatment of the hyperactive child with and without learning disabilities Lily Hechtman, Joan Kouri and Chava Respitz; 19. Social-interactional approaches to child language intervention Tanya M. Gallagher; 20. Language intervention programming for preschool children with social and pragmatic disorders Deborah A. Hayden and Margit Pukonen; 21. Communication training approaches in autistic disorder M. Mary Konstantareas; Part VI. Outcome Studies: Introduction M. Mary Konstantareas; 22. Linguistic impairment and psychiatric disorder: pathways to outcome Joseph H. Beitchman, E. B. Brownlie and Beth Wilson; 23. Academic performance in children with speech and language impairment: a review of follow-up research Debbie Carol Schachter; 24. Reading in childhood and mental health in early adulthood Sheila Williams and Rob McGee; 25. Communicative competence and psychosocial development in deaf children and adolescents Carol Musselman, Sherri MacKay, Sandra C. Trehub and Rita S. Eagle; Index.