Psychological maltreatment is probably the most common form of child abuse. Not only is it a type of maltreatment existing in its own right, but also is imbedded in and interacts with all other forms of child abuse and neglect. This book is a brief introduction to the psychological maltreatment of children and youth for mental health professionals, child welfare specialists, and other professionals involved with research, education, practice, and policy development in child maltreatment. The book's objectives are to define, outline theories, and describe the effects of psychological maltreatment, as well as to examine this form of abuse as a social problem. It also covers assessment, prevention, and treatment strategies and shows how to analyze a case of child psychological maltreatment.