Understanding Emotional Development provides an insightful and comprehensive account of the development and impact of our emotions through infancy, childhood and adolescence. The book covers a number of key topics:












The nature and diversity of emotion and its role in our lives











Differences between basic emotions, which we are all born with, and secondary social emotions which develop during early social interactions











The development of secondary social emotions; and the role of attachmentand other factors in this process which determine a childs' emotional history and consequental emotional wellbeing or difficulties.











Analysing, understanding and empathising with children experiencing emotional difficulties.









Drawing on research from neuroscience, psychology, education and social welfare, the book offers an integrated overview of recent research on the development of emotion. The chapters also consider child welfare in clinical and educational practice, presenting case studies of individual children to illustrate t