Emotions and the development of childhood depression: Bridging the gap

There is a gap between scientific knowledge about typical and atypical emotional development and efforts to identify and serve children's mental health needs. The gap can be bridged with research that integrates clinical perspectives into the study of emotional development. This is illustrated in the current study by discussing typical emotional development in early childhood and how it differs from the atypical features of emotion seen among preschool-aged children with depression. New research directions are suggested that integrate the study of typical emotional development with clinical evidence of risk for and presence of affective disorders in young children.