The Blackwell Handbook of Early Childhood Development presents a comprehensive summary of research into child development from age two to seven.



� Comprises 30 contributions from both established scholars and emerging leaders in the field

� The editors have a distinguished reputation in early childhood development

� Covers biological development, cognitive development, language development, and social, emotional and regulatory development

� Considers the applications of psychology to the care and education of young children, treating issues such as poverty, media, and the transition to school

� A valuable resource for students, scholars and practitioners dealing with young children

List of ContributorsPrefaceAcknowledgements

Part I: Conceptual FrameworksNature and Nurture in Early Childhood: Kirby Deater-Deckard and Katherine Cahill (University of Oregon, USA) Vulnerability and Resilience in Early Child Development: Ann S. Masten and Abigail H. Gewirtz (University of Minnesota, USA) Family Influences on the Development of Young Children 's Competence: Michael J. Guralnick (University of Washington, USA) Intersections Among Domains of Development: Catherine C. Ayoub (Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Medical School, USA) and Kurt W. Fischer (Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA)

Part II: Early Biological and Physiological DevelopmentEarly Brain Development and Plasticity: Jane W. Couperus and Charles A. Nelson (University of Minnesota, USA) Social Regulation of Stress in Early Child Development: Megan R. Gunnar (University of Minnesota, USA) Temperament: Jennifer N. Martin and Nathan A. Fox (University of Maryland, USA)

Part III: Cognitive DevelopmentEarly Conceptual Development: Susan A. Gelman (University of Michigan, USA) Executive Functions in Developing Children: Current Conceptualizations and Questions for the Future: Marilyn C. Welsh (University of North Colorado, USA), Sarah L. Friedman (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, USA), and Susan J. Spieker (University of Washington, USA) Developing Social Understanding in a Social Context: Rachel Barr (Georgetown University, USA) Mathematical Thinking and Learning: Herbert P. Ginsburg, Joanna Cannon, Janet Eisenband, and Sandra Pappas (Teachers College, Columbia University, USA)

Part IV: Language and Communicative DevelopmentLanguage Experience and Language Milestones During Early Childhood: Erika Hoff (Florida Atlantic University, USA) How Children Learn Language: A Focus on Resilience: Susan Goldin-Meadow (University of Chicago, USA) What counts as literacy in early childhood?: Catherine E. Snow (Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA)

Part V: Social, Emotional, and Regulatory DevelopmentGetting Along with Others: Social Competence in Early Childhood: Richard A. Fabes, Bridget M. Gaertner, and Tiernay K. Popp (Arizona State University, USA) Feeling and Understanding: Early Emotional Development: Ross A. Thompson and Kristin H. Lagattuta (University of California, Davis, USA) Temperament, Attention, and the Development of Self-Regulation: Mary K. Rothbart, Michael I. Posner, and Jessica Kieras (University of Oregon, USA) Maladjustment in Preschool Children: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective: Susan B. Campbell (University of Pittsburgh, USA)

Part VI: The Social Ecology of Early DevelopmentFamily Systems: Marc H. Bornstein and Jeanette Sawyer (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, USA) Poverty in Early Childhood: Eric Dearing (University of Wyoming, USA), Daniel Berry (Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA), and Martha Zaslow (Child Trends, USA) Orphanages as a Developmental Context for Early Childhood: Charles H. Zeanah, Anna T. Smyke, and Lisa D. Settles (Tulane University Health Sciences Center, USA) Peer Relationships in Early Childhood: Deborah Lowe Vandell, Lana Nenide, and Sara J. Van Winkle (University of Wisconsin at Madison, USA) Child Care and Early Childhood Education: Deborah Phillips (Georgetown University, USA), Kathleen McCartney (Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA), and Amy L. Sussman (Georgetown University) The Social Ecology of the Transition to School: Classrooms, Families, and Children: Robert C. Pianta and Sara Rimm-Kaufman (University of Virginia, USA) Media and Early Development: Sandra L. Calvert (Georgetown University, USA)

Part VII: Policy IssuesEvaluating Early Childhood Assessments: A Differential Analysis: Samuel J. Meisels (Erikson Institute, USA) and Sally Atkins-Burnett (The University of Toledo, USA) Head Start: What Do We Know About Its Effectiveness? What Do We Need to Know?: John M. Love (Mathematica Policy Research, USA), Louisa Bank