The successes, failures, obstacles and possibilities for promoting healthier development and well-being among children around the world are considered in this volume.
The many physical and psychological problems, both common and unique, that face young people are considered. Contributors examine sources of stress such as inadequate parenting, war and poverty; explore such topics as social policies, children's rights, and prevention and reduction of conduct disorders; and consider possible interventions. The suffering created by the growing division between the worlds of the wealthy and of the poverty-stricken is put into sharp perspective.

PART ONE: EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DISTRESS AND RISK
Barriers to the Primary Prevention of Mental, Neurological, and Psychosocial Disorders of Children - Morton Kramer
A Global Perspective
Life on the Brink - Alan Durning
An Epidemiological Study of Mental Disorders During Early Childhood in the Soviet Union - O V Bazhenova et al
One Little Girl - George W Albee
PART TWO: SOURCES OF STRESS: PARENTING, POVERTY, SEXISM, WAR
Improving Children¿s Lives - Araba Sefa-Dedeh
The Case for Primary Prevention in Ghana
Prevention of Mental Illness in Children in the Third World Countries - Syed Arshad Husain
A Pakistani Perspective
The Impact of Women¿s Health and Status on Children¿s Health and Lives in the Developing World - Mawaheb El-Mouelhy
Children Born from Unwanted Pregnancies - Zdenek Dytrych
Prevention of Psychological Subdeprivation
Making a Dangerous World More Tolerable for Children - Milton Schwebel
Implications of Research on Reactions to the Nuclear War Threat, War, and Disaster
Endangered Children in Thailand - Chok C Hiew
Third World Families Affected by Socioeconomic Changes
PART THREE: MULTILEVEL SYSTEMS APPROACHES TO PREVENTION
Primary Prevention of Mental Disorders and Mental Health Promotion in Europe - Clemens M H Hosman
Developments and Possibilities for Innovation
Empowerment and Social Change - Wolfgang Stark
Health Promotion Within the Healthy Cities Project of WHO - Steps Toward a Participative Prevention Program
The Dutch Way of Prevention - Henk Verburg et al
A Multimodal Approach to Prevention - Nomita Sonty
A Review of Indiäs Integrated Child Development Scheme
Huckleberry Finn and Street Youth Everywhere - Forrest B Tyler et al
An Approach to Primary Prevention
PART FOUR: EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS INTERVENTIONS
Two School-Based Approaches to Promoting Children¿s Social Competence - Victor A Battistich, Maurice J Elias and Leslie R Branden-Muller
Personality Development and Academic Improvement for School Children in India - K V Kaliappan
Quality of Life in Families With Mentally Retarded Children - Irena Obuchowska and Michael Obuchowski
Promoting Independence and Acceptance
Fostering Parental Competence in Poland - Helena Sek, Agnieszka Bleja and Aleksandra Sommerfeld
PART FIVE: PREVENTION AND REDUCTION OF AGGRESSION AND CONDUCT DISORDERS
Television Violence - Max W Abbott
A Proactive Prevention Campaign
Victimization Among Schoolchildren - Dan Olweus
Intervention and Prevention
New Directions in Research in the Prevention of Conduct Disorder - Doreen Spilton Koretz and Joyce Barham Lazar
PART SIX: REFLECTIONS ON YOUTH
Saving Children Means Social Revolution - George W Albee
Infecting Our Children With Hostility - Kenneth B Clark
Youth as Resources - John A Calhoun
A New Paradigm in Social Policy for Youth
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - Michael Dorris
A Parent¿s Perspective
Mexico¿s Challenge - Beatriz Rivera de Tarrab, Patricia Ortega-Andeane and Jorge Manuel Velasco-Alzaga
Facing a Growing Youth Population
PART SEVEN: LOOKING AHEAD
The Rights of the Child - Brian L Wilcox and Hedwin Naimark
Progress Toward Human Dignity
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Unofficial Summary of Articles