ABSTRACT
The chapters in this volume have covered the major psychiatric disorders that typically appear during childhood and adolescence as identified in the DSM-III-R. When the modern history of childhood psychiatric diagnosis and classification is traced (Mattison & Hooper, chapter 1), it is clear that there has been enormous growth over the past 20 to 30 years. This is amply illustrated by the fact that in 1952 the DSM-I did not contain any psychiatric disorders that were specific to the child and adolescent populations, and a text such as the present one may not even have been conceivable at that time. Currently, it is clear from the chapters contained within this volume that there is great enthusiasm and interest in childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders and, from this, greater clarity and refinement of their classification will continue to evolve.
