Vulnerable Children

Originally published in 1968, this book was an experimental investigation into some personality characteristics associated with three types of child problem behaviour. The behaviour of the children in school is described, and their underlying personality needs, as evinced by the stories they told to the author, are assessed. The behaviour at home of the asthmatic and road accident children is examined and their early developmental history traced. The part played by prolonged environmental stress, constitutional vulnerability and transitory needs is considered.

Lindy Burton

1. Children in Conflict Part 1: Road Accident Involvement in Children 2. Road Accident Involvement in Children 3. Clinical Speculations and Formulation of Basic Hypotheses 4. Previous Work on the Personality of Accident Involved Children 5. The Personality Needs of Accident Involved Children 6. The Personality Needs of Mothers of Accident Involved Children 7. The Relationships between Need for Assertion and Environmental Stress 8. Discussion of Present Findings Part 2: Sexual Assault in Childhood 9. Introduction to the Problem of Studying the Sexually Assaulted Child 10. Previous Discussion of the Problem 11. Formulation of the Basic Hypotheses 12. Previous Empirical Work on Personality and Subsequent Development 13. The Personality Needs of Sexually Assaulted Children 14. Unsettledness in Relation to the Time Lapse from the Assault 15. The Relationship between Intellectual Retardation and Affection Seeking 16. Discussion of Present Findings Part 3: Asthmatic Children 17. Introduction to the Problem 18. Clinical Description and Formulation of Basic Hypotheses 19. Previous Investigations of the Child and his Mother 20. The Personality Needs of Asthmatic Children 21. The Relationship Between Length of Illness and Degree of Unsettledness 22. The Asthmatic Child's Mother and her Attitude Towards Him 23. Unsettling Environmental Experiences and the Onset of Asthma 24. Child Problem Behaviour as Perceived by the Mother 25. Discussion of Present Findings.