Beautifully written for a first course in child psychopathology, Vicky Phares' Understanding Abnormal Child Psychology emphasizes developmental psychopathology as a means for understanding and treating abnormal behavior in children. The text emphasizes strengths and healthy outcomes as a means for designing effective therapies to help children and families, as well as focusing on prevention as a cornerstone of managing child behavior.

Throughout this book, special attention is given to issues of diversity, inclusion, and understanding. The text also examines the relationships between children and their fathers as well as with other primary figures within families (i.e., siblings, step-parents, care-taking grandparents, foster parents, etc.).

Abnormal Child Psychology is unique in providing for students a chapter on applying the material they have learned and helping children and families who experience problems.