The Doctor and the Difficult Child

By William Moodie. Geoffrey Cumberlege. Oxford University Press, lis. 6d. Dr. Moodie's book, now in its second edition, is an excellent introduction to Child Guidance for doctors, teachers, parents and anyone interested in the behaviour and the difficulties of children. As the author states in the introduction to the first edition, " it is not a scientific treatise, but rather an informal discussion of fundamental disturbances of behaviour or personality in children ". Nevertheless, even the technical experts of the Child Guidance Clinic will find it of value. It is written in simple language, is free from technicalities and gives a clear and concise account of the nature of the problems presented to a Child Guidance Clinic, the method of investigation, the causes and the treatment. The book falls into three parts. The first deals with the needs of the child for satisfactory emotional development and indicates the type of deprivation and environmental inadequacy that leads to behaviour disorders. Treatment, by way of providing the optimum conditions for development, is discussed, and finally, direct treatment of the child with particular reference to the use of phantasy, drawing and play in therapy, is briefly considered. In Part II specific conditions and disorders, their causes and treatment are described and in Part III a further chapter on play therapy is given and a chapter describing the structure and staffing of a Child Guidance Clinic in this country. If any criticism can be made of this book, having regard to its avowed object, it is that existing environmental factors and their adjustments are stressed almost to the exclusion of deep psychological causes. It is true that this is to some extent remedied in the chapters on play therapy but many readers would like to have heard more of the personal factors?again in the clear nontechnical language that is the charm of this book.