A Therapist’s Guide to Child Development A Therapist’s Guide to Child Development gives therapists and counselors the basics they need to understand their clients in the context of development and to explain that development to parents. The chapters take the reader through the various physi- cal, social, and identity developments occurring at each age, explaining how each stage of development is closely linked to mental health and how that is revealed in therapy. This ideal guide for students, as well as early and experienced profession- als, will also give readers the tools with which to communicate successfully with the child’s guardians or teachers, including easy-to-read handouts that detail what kind of behaviors are not cause for concern and those behaviors that indicate it may be time to seek help. As an aid to practitioners, this book matches developmental ages with appropriate, evidence-based mental health interventions. Dee C. Ray, PhD, is a distinguished teaching professor in the counseling program and director of the Child and Family Resource Clinic at the University of North Texas. She is the author of Advanced Play Therapy (Routledge, 2011), coauthor of Group Play Therapy (with Daniel Sweeney and Jennifer Baggerly, Routledge, 2014), and the editor of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling. A Therapist’s Guide to Child Development The Extraordinarily Normal Years Edited by Dee C. Ray First published 2016 by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2016 Dee C. Ray The right of the editor to be identified as the author of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. The purchase of this copyright material confers the right on the purchasing institution to photocopy pages which bear the photocopy icon and copyright line at the bottom of the page. No other parts of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A therapist’s guide to child development : the extraordinarily normal years / edited by Dee C. Ray. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Child psychology. 2. Child psychotherapy. 3. Child development. I. Ray, Dee C. BF721.T4554 2015 155.4—dc23 2015016520 ISBN: 978-1-138-82896-4 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-138-82897-1 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-73795-9 (ebk) Typeset in Garamond MT & Futura BT by Swales & Willis Ltd, Exeter, Devon, UK This book is dedicated to the students and graduates of the University of North Texas. They inspire me to grow every day. C ontents List of Contributors xii PART I Introduction 1 Chapter 1 An Overview of Child Development 3 DEE C. RAY An Overview of Child Development 3 Developmental Models 6 Using This Book 11 Chapter 2 Developmentally Appropriate Interventions 14 DEE C. RAY The Sequence of Developmentally Effective Therapy 14 Interventions 15 Conclusions 23 PART II Early Childhood 27 Chapter 3 The Extraordinary Beginning Years: Birth to 2 Years Old 29 LIZ ENER Brain Development/Interpersonal Neurobiology 31 Physical Development 32 Gender and Sexual Development 34 Cognitive Development 34 Worldview/Ego Development 36 Emotional Development 37 Social Development 38 Relationship Development 39 Development in the Age of Technology 39 Best Practices in Counseling/Therapy 40 Conclusion 43 Chapter 4 The Extraordinary 3-Year-Old 46 KASIE R. LEE The 3-Year-Old 46 The 3½-Year-Old 47 Brain Development 47 Physical Development 48 Gender and Sexual Development 49 Cognitive Development 49 Worldview/Ego Development 50 Emotional Development 51 Social Development 51 Relationship Development 52 Development in the Age of Technology 52 Best Practices in Counseling/Therapy 52 Conclusion 56 Chapter 5 The Extraordinary 4-Year-Old 57 JENIFER W. BALCH Brain Development 58 Physical Development 59 Gender and Sexual Development 59 Cognitive Development 60 Worldview/Ego Development 61 Emotional Development 62 Social Development 63 Relationship Development 64 Development in the Age of Technology 64 Best Practices in Counseling/Therapy 65 Conclusion 67 PART III Middle Childhood 69 Chapter 6 The Extraordinary 5-Year-Old 71 DALENA L. DILLMAN TAYLOR Brain Development 71 Physical Development 72 Gender and Sexual Development 73 Cognitive Development 73 Worldview/Ego Development 74 Emotional Development 75 Social Development 75 Relationship Development 75 Development in the Age of Technology 76 viii Best Practices in Counseling/Therapy 77 Conclusion 81 Chapter 7 The Extraordinary 6-Year-Old 83 KIMBERLY M. JAYNE The 6-Year-Old 83 The 6½-Year-Old 84 Brain Development and Interpersonal Neurobiology 84 Physical Development 85 Gender and Sexual Development 85 Cognitive Development 86 Worldview/Ego Development 87 Social Development 89 Relationship Development 89 Development in the Age of Technology 90 Best Practices for Counseling/therapy 90 Conclusion 93 Chapter 8 The Extraordinary 7-Year-Old 95 HAYLEY L. STULMAKER Brain Development 96 Physical Development 97 Gender and Sexual Development 97 Cognitive Development 98 Worldview/Ego Development 100 Emotional Development 101 Social Development 102 Relationship Development 103 Development in the Age of Technology 103 Best Practices in Counseling/Therapy 104 Conclusion 107 Chapter 9 The Extraordinary 8-Year-Old 109 SINEM AKAY Brain Development 109 Physical Development 110 Gender and Sexual Development 111 Cognitive Development 111 Worldview/Ego Development 113 Emotional Development 114 Social Development 114 Relationship Development 115 Development in the Age of Technology 115 ix