The PDF linked below is a copy of the second edition of Dr. McGuire and Dr. Chicoine's book originally published by Woodbine House Publishing in 2021. After Woodbine closed in 2022, the publishing rights reverted to the authors. Dr. McGuire and Dr. Chicoine chose to make the book available to readers as a free PDF.
Mental Wellness in Adults with Down Syndrome PDF .png "opens in new window")
Bienestar mental en los adultos con síndrome de Down
Translation of the book into Spanish was made possible through the generosity of the Fundación Iberoamericana Down21 and the Matthew Foundation .
Photos and images have been removed because permission to use them was not included with the authors' publishing rights. Except for a few deletions of text that referenced photos and images, the text of the PDF is the same as the version published in 2021. Additional resources are available in the Mental Health section of the Adult Down Syndrome Center's Resource Library.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Mental Health Assessment
Chapter 2 - Assessing the Physical Health/Mental Health Connection
Chapter 3 - Family and Community Support
Chapter 4 - What Is Normal?
Chapter 5 - Concrete Thinking and Behaving
Chapter 6 - Visual Memory and Cues
Chapter 7 - Communication
Chapter 8 - Self-Esteem and Self-Image
Chapter 9 - Self-Talk Revisited
Chapter 10 - The Groove and Flexibility
Chapter 11 - Life-Span Issues
Chapter 12 - Sensory Processing Differences and Disorders
Chapter 13 - Social Skills
Chapter 14 - Mental Illness and Its Precipitants
Chapter 15 - Assessment of Mental Illness
Chapter 16 - Treatment Approaches for Mental Illness
Chapter 17 - Mood Disorders
Chapter 18 - Anxiety Disorders
Chapter 19 - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
Chapter 20 - Psychotic Disorders
Chapter 21 - Eating Refusal
Chapter 22 - Challenging Behavior
Chapter 23 - Self-Injurious Behavior
Chapter 24 - Tics, Tourette Syndrome, and Stereotypies
Chapter 25 - Autism
Chapter 26 - Alzheimer's Disease and Decline in Skills
Chapter 27 - Regression
Woodbine Book Description
Awards for the First Edition:
2007 Independent Publisher Award: Bronze Medalist in Psychology/Mental Health Category
2006 Best Book Awards, Psychology/Mental Health Finalist
2006 ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award: Finalist in Psychology Category
This thoroughly updated second edition of Mental Wellness in Adults with Down Syndrome is upbeat and accessible in tone, yet encyclopedic in scope. The size of the book reflects both the breadth of the authors' knowledge - acquired as cofounders of the first medical clinic dedicated solely to the care of adults with Down syndrome - and the number of psychosocial issues and mental disorders that can affect people with Down syndrome. It's the go-to guide for parents, health practitioners, and caregivers who support teens and adults with Down syndrome.
Mental Wellness emphasizes that understanding and appreciating both the strengths and challenges of people with Down syndrome is the key to promoting good mental health. It shows readers how to distinguish between bona fide mental health issues and common characteristics of Down syndrome - quirks or coping strategies. For example, although talking to oneself can be a sign of psychosis, many adults with Down syndrome use self-talk as an effective problem-solving strategy.
The second edition includes new chapters on sensory issues (written by Dr. Katie Frank) and regression, expanded and now separate chapters on communication, concrete thinking, and visual memory, and an extensively updated chapter on Alzheimer's disease citing abundant new research. Other chapters cover a range of conditions and assessment and treatment options:
- What Is Normal?
- Self-Esteem & Self-Image
- Self-Talk
- Grooves & Flexibility
- Life-Span Issues
- Social Skills
- Mood & Anxiety Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Psychotic Disorders
- Eating Refusal
- Challenging Behavior
- Self-Injurious Behavior
- Autism
- Tics, Tourette Syndrome & Stereotypies