HUMANIZING CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

About the Book

Dr. DeRobertis has made a significant contribution to the field with his integrative self-development theory. It provides a seamless rapprochement of the psychoanalytic and existential-humanistic paradigms. This developmental framework emphasizes the necessity of both relational and depth psychological approaches to the mind in understanding self development, psychological health, and psychopathology. As both a practitioner and a professor, I draw heavily upon this important work in the training of psychotherapists as well as in my clinical work with children, adolescents, and parents. -- Shawn Rubin, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist, Core Faculty, Michigan School of Professional Psychology, Managing Editor, Journal of Humanistic Psychology

From a fresh, holistic perspective, Eugene M. DeRobertis applies humanistic viewpoints in psychology to the study of child development. Unlike most child development texts that concentrate on the subdivisions of the child’s personality, the observations and discussions here focus on the child as a whole. Drawing upon many schools of thought including American humanism, existential-phenomenology, psychoanalysis, neo-analytic theories, object-relations theory, self-psychology, and Gestalt psychology, Dr. DeRobertis opens an important dialogue to all teachers and students of psychology. Packed with illustrations, empirical findings, references, and key terms and concepts, Humanizing Child Developmental Theory delivers an overarching theoretical framework for putting developmental issues into context. A significant and accessible contribution to developmental theorizing, this groundbreaking text gives psychology instructors and their students a relevant and much-needed humanistic approach to child development.

About the Author

Eugene M. DeRobertis is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Brookdale College. He has a BA in philosophy from St. Peter’s College and a PhD in clinical psychology from Duquesne University. He is the author of Phenomenological Psychology: A Text for Beginners.