Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Mental Health Issues in Early Childhood

A copublication with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Mental Health Issues in Early Childhoodfocuses on research-based strategies for educators to address challenging behaviors of children during early childhood and elementary school years. Utilizing research from the fields of neuroscience, child development, child psychiatry, counselling and applied behavior analysis, the author suggests simple strategies for teachers to manage behaviors and promote mental health and resilience in children with challenging behaviors.

Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Mental Health Issues in Early Childhood provides a framework for best practices which are empirically based and have been successfully utilized in the classroom. An appreciation of the deep understanding of culture as it affects curricular approaches, family engagement, and child growth and development is utilized throughout this comprehensive, multidisciplinary resource. Bayat references the most recent research in the field of child mental health and provides educational and intervention approaches that are appropriate for all children with and without disabilities.

Mojdeh Bayat is Associate Professor of Education at DePaul University. She has a BA in Law and Society from The American University, M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education from Northeastern Illinois University, and a PhD in Child Development from Erikson Institute in Chicago.

Gayle Mindes is Professor of Education at DePaul University in Chicago. She teaches in the pre-service early childhood and elementary education programs there. Mindes, a life-long urban educator writes and speaks on the topics of assessment, social studies, and kindergarten.