This is not a book that will tell the reader how to treat tuberculosis or diarrhea in the Third World. It is not a book the nurse will use to assign nursing diagnosis to her client's problems. It is a book for those who hunger for new ways of thinking about children and health care systems. It is a book for those who see or need to see the people of the world as interconnected. It is a book for people who want fuel for their own ideas about promoting psychological and physical health of children. --Journal of Pediatric Nursing "The contributors in the volume are distinguished, often leaders in their fields. They come from many countries, including the former Soviet Union, western and eastern Europe, Egypt, India, Ghana, Mexico, and from international organizations such as UNICEF and Worldwatch. They represent different disciplines, including education, the social sciences, public health, and the humanities. . . . The reader who is interested in certain places, as I was, will be rewarded." --Lewis Aptekar, review in World Psychology An international team of scholars, practitioners, educators, and policymakers from multiple and diverse nations analyzes the successes, failures, obstacles, and possibilities for promoting healthier development and well-being among children. They examine the myriad problems encountered by today's youth and offer compelling discussions on a variety of issues, both common and unique. They present numerous prevention and intervention proposals for promoting healthier environments for children worldwide. The topics covered include sources of stress in children's lives, the growing division between the world of the wealthy and the world of the poverty-stricken, multilevel systems approaches to prevention, educational systems intervention, prevention and reduction of aggression and conduct disorders, social policies for youth, and the rights of children. Improving Children's Lives is a vital resource for psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health professionals, social workers, educators, and policymakers interested in making an impact on the lives of children everywhere.