“In this fourth edition, Troy has built on Davies's excellent work and has added valuable information and insight for clinicians who believe development matters. Without a firm grasp of a child's developmental challenges and strengths, clinical interventions often become something imposed, rather than something offered and used. Troy’s additions integrate current research and expand our understanding of children’s resources and abilities, making this an invaluable resource for all professionals committed to supporting children as they grow and manage adversities.”

—Anne R. Gearity, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota


“Child Development, Fourth Edition, not only covers fundamental concepts, but also includes the best current research findings. What results is a book about developmental psychology that is very applicable to a variety of fields. This is a useful text for social work and clinical nursing courses in Human Behavior and the Social Environment, as well as psychology courses in Child Development. The detailed Table of Contents enables the reader to navigate to the content most germane to the task at hand, which makes this a practical reference for faculty, researchers, and practitioners.”

—Peter J. Pecora, PhD, Managing Director of Research Services, Casey Family Programs, and Professor, School of Social Work, University of Washington


“This exceptional text combines principles of child development with foundations for practice. It has been my essential resource for nearly a decade in teaching advanced social work students and early-career clinicians. Davies's text is unique in that it depicts the impact of development on child behavior and the impact of trauma on development, followed by vital practice principles for each developmental stage. I am delighted that Troy has updated the fourth edition with current research as well as changes in DSM-5, and also that the discussion of trauma is not limited to DSM-5 criteria. This text explains and supports assessment and intervention for the developmental impact of disrupted attachment and chronic trauma throughout childhood, helping me to prepare students for practice in a variety of settings, and readying students for lifelong learning of trauma-informed and evidence-based protocols.”

—Karen Flint Stipp, PhD, LCSW, School of Social Work, Illinois State University


“My master's-level clinical psychology students have found this text very valuable either as an introduction to developmental psychology or as a refresher. The practice chapters give students concrete examples of how clinicians use developmental theory and findings to guide conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood pathology.”

—Lisa Comparini, PhD, Department of Psychology and Sociology, Texas A&M–University Corpus Christi