Stress and Coping in Child Health

This is an important and valuable book on stress and coping in children and adolescents with chronic health problems. The editors are leading researchers in pediatric psychology and have assembled an equally qualified list of authors who have a grasp of the literature and are able to draw on their own current research in discussing their respective topics. The three sections of this book address conceptual and general issues related to stress and coping, (such as measurement of stress and coping, physiological reactivity, and the role of social support as a mediator of stress), current research, (such as stress and coping associated with invasive medical and dental procedures), and a concluding section on intervention (with discussions of cognitive?behavioral procedures for helping children cope with medical treatment and disease?related stress). This book highlights the paucity of research in this area and by necessity draws on some of the adult literature on stress and coping. Although it has some valuable information for clinicians, its major value is in providing a conceptual and empirical basis for stimulating research in this neglected but vital area. Clinicians will be able to find some helpful and practical information with the added benefit that the recommendations offered by the authors are empirically based.