Child Development and Well-Being

Abstract

This chapter focuses on introducing information about normative physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development as well as how this development is interrupted and altered as a result of trauma associated with child maltreatment. The chapter outlines several domains of normative development and behavior as it relates to a child’s physical and social environment and key caregiver responsibilities and nurturing. The chapter describes the family life cycle, attachment and bonding, and relationships and describes the research regarding promoting child and adolescent well-being. The chapter also presents parenting styles, discipline, and what the research concludes about healthy and unhealthy parenting and its short-term and long-term implications.