Socioemotional and Brain Development in Children with Genetic Syndromes Associated with Developmental Delay

Abstract This chapter reviews studies of social and behavioral development, emotional development and temperament, and brain development and psychophysiology in children with the six most common genetic syndromes associated with developmental delay (Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, Williams syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Angelman syndrome). We review recent research on relations among brain, psychophysiological, and socioemotional development in these children, placing particular emphasis on how each of these genetic disorders provides researchers with evidence and a model to understand the links among gene-, brain-, and behavior relations.