ABSTRACT
In this chapter we consider the development of aspects of ego functioning in normal children and those with specific types of problems. In doing so, we present a developmental model that attempts to integrate the domains of impulse control, emotional regulation, emotional understanding, and self-awareness in understanding interpersonal competence. In this chapter, models from the emerging field of developmental psychopathology (Cicchetti, 1984; Sroufe & Rutter, 1984) are utilized to examine theory and research as they concern both the normal and deviant development of these processes. As such, it focuses on how affect, cognition, language, and behavior are integrated in an increasingly complex fashion at progressive phases of development. In doing so, the chapter also highlights the important role of caregivers in the first 5 years of life. Research from studies on normal children, children with conduct problems, and children with profound early deafness are then reviewed. Finally, we conclude by speculating on the implications of this model for the understanding of psychopathology in adolescence and adulthood.
