The Science

Lillas, C. M., Langer, L., & Drinane, M. (2005). Forced Separations and Forced Reunions. ZERO TO THREE, July.

Lillas, C. and Turnbull, J. (2009). Infant/Child Mental Health, Early Intervention, and Relationship-Based Therapies: A Neurorelational Framework for Interdisciplinary Practice. New York: W. W. Norton. This book is part of the Interpersonal Neurobiology Series where Dan Siegel, MD, is the Founding Series Editor.

Brandt, K., Diel, J., Feder, J., & Lillas, C. (2012). A Problem In Our Field: Making Distinctions Between Evidence-Based Treatment and Evidence-Based Practice As a Decision-Making Process. ZERO TO THREE, March.

Lillas, C. (2014). The Neurorelational Framework (NRF) in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. In Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Core Concepts and Clinical Applications. Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Lillas, C., Feder, J., Diel, J., & Brandt, K. (2014). Weighing the Evidence: Evidence- Based Practice and Evidence Based Treatments in Infant Mental Health. In Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Core Concepts and Clinical Applications. Arlington, Virginia: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Lillas, C. & Marchel, M.A. (2015). Moving Away from WEIRD: Systems-Based Shifts in Research, Diagnosis, and Clinical Practice. Perspectives in Infant Mental Health. Michigan: World Association for Infant Mental Health. Winter.

Lillas, C., TenPas, H., Crowley, C., & Spitzer, S. (2018). Improving Regulation Skills for Increased Participation for Individuals with ASD. In Watling, R. & Spitzer, S. Autism Across the Lifespan: A Comprehensive Occupational Therapy Approach, 4th Edition. Bethesda, Maryland: American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Christensen JS, Wild H, Kenzie ES, Wakeland W, Budding D and Lillas C. (2020) Diverse Autonomic Nervous System Stress Response Patterns in Childhood Sensory Modulation. Front. Integr. Neurosci. 14:6. doi: 10.3389/fnint.2020.000

Lillas, C. (2022) Three Steps to Resilience: NRF Foundations Manual for Interdisciplinary Practice and International Use. Interdisciplinary Training Institute: Los Angeles, California.

Since our original book, the NeuroRelational Framework Foundations textbook was published in 2009, our cutting-edge work has had a meaningful impact in a variety of scientific circles and communities.

Christensen, J., Schoen, S. A., Robertson, H., Hapchyn, C. A., Givens, R., Markarian, K., & Lillas, C. (2026). The NeuroRelational Framework Awake States Indicators Checklist: Preliminary Psychometrics for Use in Pediatric Occupational Therapy. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 1-25.

Goh, C., Ma, Y., & Rizzo, A. (2024). Normative performance data on visual attention in neurotypical children: Virtual reality assessment of cognitive and psychomotor development. Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 5, Article 1309176. 
https://doi.org/10.3389/frvir.2024.1309176

Nazar-Biesman, J., & Matevosyan, A. (2024). Affective dysregulation in childhood. In S. Goldstein (Ed.), Clinician guide to disruptive mood dysregulation disorder in children and adolescents (pp. 27–51). Springer Nature Switzerland AG. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-57398-9_3

Dosman, C., Koscielnuk, D., & Gallagher, S. (2023). Pearls of wisdom: Updated skill-specific parenting strategies in the first 6 years. Paediatrics & Child Health, 28(8), 470-479.

Dosman, C., Gallagher, S., LaBerge, P., Sahagian Whalen, S., Koscielnuk, D., Plaisance, M., ... & Andrews, D. (2022). Updated evidence-based developmental attainments for children: First 6 years. Paediatrics & Child Health, 27(5), 285-290.

Dosman, C., & Gallagher, S. (2022). Parenting principles primer. Paediatrics & Child Health, 27(6), 327-332.

Velez, M. L., Jordan, C., & Jansson, L. M. (2021). Reconceptualizing non-pharmacologic approaches to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS): A theoretical and evidence–based approach. Part 2: The clinical application of nonpharmacologic care for NAS/NOWS. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 88, Article 107032. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107032

Tucker, C., Schieffer, K., Lenz, S., & Smith, S. (2021). Sunshine Circles: Randomized controlled trial of an attachment-based play group with preschool students who are at-risk. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 7(3), 161–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2021.1940658

Foley, G. M., & Baz, T. (2021). “Aggression” in young children on the autistic spectrum: The dysregulation–“aggression” hypothesis. In N. L. Papaneophytou & U. N. Das (Eds.), Emerging programs for autism spectrum disorder: Improving communication, behavior, and family dynamics (pp. 141–160). Elsevier Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85031-5.00031-1

Salazar, R. M., & Rosello, S. S. (2021). Full circle autism care includes family relationships and dynamics: Practical application. In N. L. Papaneophytou & U. N. Das (Eds.), Emerging programs for autism spectrum disorder: Improving communication, behavior, and family dynamics (pp. 355–390). Elsevier Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85031-5.00014-1

Isaacson, T. G. (2020). Metaphors of agony: Culture-bound syndromes of hyper-independence. Psychoanalysis, Self and Context, 15(4), 375–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/24720038.2020.1803875

Bayat, M. (2020). Addressing challenging behaviors and mental health issues in early childhood (2nd ed.). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Courtney, J. A. (2020). Conceptualizing infant play therapy in the context of infant mental health. In J. A. Courtney (Ed.), Infant play therapy: Foundations, models, programs, and practice (pp. 3–17). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429453083-1

Dosman, C. F., Andrews, D., Gallagher, S., & Goulden, K. J. (2019). Anticipatory guidance for behaviour concerns: School age children. Paediatrics & Child Health, 24(2), e78-e87.

Harwell, M. (2019). Working through the unconscious assumption of neglect. Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 39(5), 358–366. https://doi.org/10.1080/07351690.2019.1623623

Teggelove, K., Thompson, G., & Tamplin, J. (2019). Supporting positive parenting practices within a community‐based music therapy group program: Pilot study findings. Journal of Community Psychology, 47(4), 712–726. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22148

Cerezo, M. A., Sierra-García, P., Pons-Salvador, G., & Trenado, R. M. (2017). Parental and infant gender factors in parent–infant interaction: State-space dynamic analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 1724. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01724

Zarnegar, Z., Hambrick, E. P., Perry, B. D., Azen, S. P, & Peterson, C. (2016). Clinical improvements in adopted children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders through neurodevelopmentally informed clinical intervention: A pilot study. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 21(4), 551–567. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104516636438

Baylin, J., & Hughes, D. A. (2016). The neurobiology of attachment-focused therapy: Enhancing connection and trust in the treatment of children and adolescents. W. W. Norton & Company.

Bayat, M. (2016). Teaching exceptional children: Foundations and best practices in inclusive early childhood education classrooms. Routledge.

Dickstein, S. (2015). The family couch: Considerations for infant/early childhood mental health. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 24(3), 487–500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2015.02.004

Bayat, M. (2015). Addressing challenging behaviors and mental health issues in early childhood. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Lillas, C. (2014). The Neurorelational Framework in infant and early childhood mental health. In K. Brandt, B. D. Perry, S. Seligman, & E. Tronick (Eds.), Infant and early childhood mental health: Core concepts and clinical practice (pp. 85–96). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc..

Lillas, C., Feder, J., Diel, J., & Brandt, K. (2014). Evidence-based treatments and evidence-based practices in the infant-parent mental health field. In K. Brandt, B. D. Perry, S. Seligman, & E. Tronick (Eds.), Infant and early childhood mental health: Core concepts and clinical practice (pp. 281–292). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc..

Ringstrom, P. A. (2014). A relational psychoanalytic approach to couples psychotherapy. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

Stroud, B., & Morgan, M. M. (2014). Basics of counseling in infant-parent and early childhood mental health. In K. Brandt, B. D. Perry, S. Seligman, & E. Tronick (Eds.), Infant and early childhood mental health: Core concepts and clinical practice (pp. 145–159). American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc..

VandenBerg, K. A., & Hanson, M. J. (2013). Coming home from the NICU: A guide for supporting families in early infant care and development. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co..

Bocknek, E. L., & Osofsky, J. D. (2011). Review of Infant/child mental health, early intervention, and relationship‐based therapies: A neurorelational framework for interdisciplinary practice [Review of the book Infant/child mental health, early intervention, and relationship-Based therapies: A neurorelational framework for interdisciplinary practice, by C. Lilas & J. Turnbull]. Infant Mental Health Journal, 32(4), 487–488. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.20307

Fisher, M. A. (2011). The early years and brain development: The critical connections of building relationships. In G. L. Ensher & D. A. Clark, Relationship-centered practices in early childhood: Working with families, infants, and young children at risk (pp. 33–44). Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co..

Robinson, H., & Kaplan, C. (2011). Psychosocial theory and social work treatment. In F. J. Turner (Ed.), Social work treatment: Interlocking theoretical approaches (5th ed., pp. 387–400). Oxford University Press.

Van Horn, P. (2011). The impact of trauma on the developing social brain: Development and regulation in relationship. In J. D. Osofsky (Ed.), Clinical work with traumatized young children (pp. 11–30). The Guilford Press.