The encounter with literature of the Holocaust, saturated as it is with unfathomable grief, loss, terror, and death, presents its readers with difficulties rare in literatures not dealing with the extreme. Specifically, usual academic discourse lacks a register for addressing the intense emotions that Holocaust narratives or poetry may generate.…

This article addresses the question of why the emotions children and adolescents anticipate in the context of hypothetical scenarios have been repeatedly found to predict actual (im)moral behavior. It argues that a common motivational account of this relationship is insufficient. Instead, three links are proposed that connect cognitive…

This article discusses the concepts of happiness, emotional well-being and mental health in the light of recent work on children's spirituality, to argue that such a consideration can help to avoid simplistic and individualistic views of each. Distinguishing between happiness as short-term gratification and as longer-term flourishing, the latter…

Argues that efforts to limit the incidence and prevalence of suicidal behavior must be based on a multifactorial approach that considers developmental concerns in all phases of life. (HTH)

Advocates total community support for families whose children must care for themselves during out-of-school hours while their caregivers are working. (MP)

Discusses the way in which poetry offers experiences with the unexpected through the element of surprise. Discusses ways in which poetry addresses concepts in social studies and sciences. (RJC)

Childhood psychopathology can be viewed as normal development gone awry. The key to the mysteries of masked depression and of depression in the infant/toddler period and in middle childhood lies in the concept of loss. Children who experience the loss of a loved parent or caretaker through that person's death may evidence a variety of behaviors…

Examines the psychological and emotional effects of confidential adoption on birthparents, adoptees, and adoptive parents. Discusses some of the advantages of open adoption, which allows the birthparents and adoptive parents to have at least some contact before the adoption. (MDM)

Issues related to children's ability to conceal their immediate emotional experiences by displaying alternate socially or personally motivated facial expressions are discussed. Four basic categories of dissimulation of emotional experience are specified, and motives for the use of cultural and personal display rules and direct deception are posed.…

Presents a functionalist perspective on emotion communication and its role in the development of shame and guilt. Emotion communication influences relationship-building between parent and child; gives significance to standards, rules, and achievement; and serves as a channel of communication between parent and child regarding standards, rules, and…

A substantial proportion of children and adolescents come to suffer from psychological disorders. This article focuses on the temperament factors that are involved in the pathogenesis of child psychopathology. It is argued that besides the reactive temperament factor of emotionality/neuroticism, the regulative process of effortful control also…

Children's developing concept of time is important in socialization, but a contradiction is implied in asking children to educate themselves for the future when both children and adults are aware of the threat of nuclear annihilation. The development of time concepts can be traced through infancy, preschool, elementary school and adolescence, and…

As behavioral approaches for the treatment of clinically significant fears became more accepted, the same techniques began to be applied to normal youngsters' reactions to highly stressful situations in an attempt to prevent the development of excessive fears in children. Although there is widespread acceptance of preventative approaches to help…

This paper explores important conceptual issues that confront researchers who wish to study the role of empathy in parent-child interaction. Part I reviews the major existing theories of parent empathy offered by the psychoanalytic-object relations and the client-centered schools of thought. In part II, a new processing model derived from the…

Highlights the contributions made by the papers in this special issue, and discusses remaining research problems and future research directions in the field of children's emotions and social competence. Notes that one of the most important points raised in this series of papers is the critical role of socialization in the development of emotions.…