Authoritative communities : the scientific case for nurturing the whole child / Kathleen Kovner Kline, ed.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Kline, Kathleen Kovner.

Series:

Search Institute series on developmentally attentive community and society

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Youth development--United States.

Youth development.

United States.

Child development--United States.

Child development.

Physical Description:

xxvi, 386 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : Springer Verlag, 2008.

Summary:

Authoritative Communities: The Scientific Case for Nurturing the Whole Child introduces innovative solutions based firmly in the children's mental health and resilience literature and in the hypothesis that humans are hardwired to connect." These "authoritative communities" consist of such individuals and institutions as parents, teachers, coaches, elders and a variety of organizations that are committed to each other's well-being over the long-term and who instill children with prosocial values such as empathy and compassion. Living within these communities enables children and youth to develop a consistent sense of purpose and meaning, so that they, in turn, are able to grow up to be responsible, productive, and nurturing adults.

The comprehensive coverage in this volume brings new insights and evidence to the nature/nurture debate from developmental, attachment, neurobiological, spiritual, and community perspectives, including: Nurturing as a protective factor against genetic predispositions. Counteracting the adverse influence of the media on children. Promoting a sense of community in disadvantaged youth. Spiritual approaches, from the Buddhist "minding children with mindfulness" to traditional young men's rites of passage. Adolescent development, from psychobiology to the formation of conscience. Dispatches from the civil society movement, thee School Development Program, and the motherhood movement. This volume is essential reading for researchers and practitioners as well as graduate-level students in developmental, clinical, and social psychology as well as related fields such as sociology, social work, education, and religious studies.

Contents:

Part I A Report to the Nation 1

1 Hardwired to Connect: The New Scientific Case for Authoritative Communities / The Commission on Children at Risk 3

Part II Primal Connections 69

2 The Biochemistry of Family Commitment and Youth Competence: Lessons from Animal Models / Larry J. Young, Darlene D. Francis 71

3 How Mother Nurture Helps Mother Nature: Scientific Evidence for the Protective Effect of Good Nurturing on Genetic Propensity Toward Anxiety and Alcohol Abuse / Stephen J. Suomi 87

4 Investing in Children and Society: What We Have Learned from Seven Decades of Attachment Research / Robert Karen 103

Part III Meaning and Morality 121

5 The Consolidation of Conscience in Adolescence / Barbara M. Stilwell 123

6 Best Bets for Improving the Odds for Optimum Youth Development / Michael D. Resnick 137

7 Moral and Spiritual Dimensions of the Healthy Person: Notes from the Founders of Modern Psychology and Psychiatry / Paul C. Vitz 151

Part IV Connecting to the Transcendent 163

8 Hardwired for God: A Neuropsychological Model for Developmental Spirituality / Andrew B. Newberg, Stephanie K. Newberg 165

9 A Tale of Two Religious Effects: Evidence for the Protective and Prosocial Impact of Organic Religion / Byron R. Johnson 187

10 Focused on Their Families: Religion, Parenting, and Child Well-Being / W. Bradford Wilcox 227

11 Minding the Children with Mindfulness: A Buddhist Approach to Promoting Well-Being in Children / Julie E. Thomas, Lisa A. Wuyek 245

Part V The Changing Connections of Adolescence 261

12 The Psychobiology of Adolescence / Linda Patia Spear 263

13 Elders and Sons / David Gutmann 281

14 Spirituality and Resilience in Adolescent Girls / Lisa Miller 295

Part VI Connecting to Community 303

15 Promoting Well-Being Among At-Risk Children: Restoring a Sense of Community and Support for Development / James P. Comer 305

16 Sex, Guns, and Rock 'n' Roll: The Influence of Media in Children's Lives / Leonard A. Jason, Kerri L. Kim 323

17 The Civil Society Model: The Organic Approach to Building Character, Competence, and Conscience in Our Young People / Bill Stanczykiewicz 339

18 Caring and Character: How Close Parental Bonds Foster Character Development in Children / Elizabeth Berger 355

19 Gather Around the Children / Enola Aird 369.

Notes:

"The scholarly papers and commentaries in this book provided the intellectual foundation for the report titled "Hardwired to connect", which was issued by the Commission on Children at Risk in Washington, D.C., on September 9, 2003"--P. vii.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780387727202

0387727205

9780387727219

0387727213

OCLC:

190760051