Language Impairment and Psychopathology in Infants, Children and Adolescents

This book will inform the reader of the remarkably high comorbidity of language impairment with a range of psychopathologic disorders of childhood and adolescence and the implications of this association for clinical practice. The book describes and discusses this relationship, its etiology and consequences for the child, and clinical issues in treating the disorder. The focus is on children and adolescents with behavioral and emotional problems who constitute the largest population referred for clinical attention and does not consider children with severe disorders, such as autism. Findings from the literature, including the author’s own research program, highlight the consequences of having problems with language and communication on interactions with the family, with peers, in school, and in the clinic.