Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities across Lifespan: A Focus on Childhood and Adolescence

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, interest in the study of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities has increased. The complexity of the phenomenon considered across the life span has been conceptualized according to clinical and dynamic models, which are multidimensional and very comprehensive.

Regarding Neurodevelopmental Disorders, newer conceptual models are based on interactions between genetic, biological, psychological and relational domains at individual, familiar, social and cultural levels in various contexts, such as home, school, leisure activities, etc. Meanwhile, for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, newer conceptual models of disability are based on the interactions between individual features—pathologies, impairments, and functional limitations—and the environment (relational and/or physical). These models focus on the role of vulnerability/risk and protective factors to delineate developmental pathways of risk and resilience. Thus, according to the lifespan approach and the perspective of Developmental Psychopathology, the newer causal and transactional models aim to define the developmental trajectories between various developmental phases and forms of continuity and/or discontinuity of disorders and of traits, behaviors, emotional and affective regulation development. The interweaving of typical and atypical developmental trajectories and functioning is also investigated.   

Despite the substantial progress that has been made in the diagnosis and assessment methodologies of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, some relevant questions have yet to be addressed. What interventions and support strategies are effective for specific sub-phenotypes and which interventions might lead to long-term positive outcomes are still subject to debate. It is also important to continue investigating the active processes for change at biological, neurobiological, psychological, and environmental levels. 

In this Special Issue, we invite scholars to discuss these topics and to share their experiences in these fields, with a multidisciplinary/transdisciplinary approach. We welcome research, scoping reviews, systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses of these newer approaches in the study of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.

We are especially interested in proposals from diverse contexts, particularly longitudinal studies with at-risk and clinical groups, in order to achieve an articulated picture of the advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities across the life span, with a special focus on childhood and adolescence.

Dr. Donatella Petretto
Prof. Dr. Loredana Lucarelli
Dr. Roberta Fadda
Guest Editors

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