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Hardwired to Connect
The New Scientific Case for Authoritative Communities

LARGE AND GROWING numbers of U.S. children and young people are suffering from depression, anxiety, attention deficit, conduct disorders, thoughts of suicide, and other serious mental and behavioral problems. Why? What can be done to reverse this trend? In this pioneering report, the Commission on Children at Risk, a panel of 33 leading children's doctors, neuroscientists, research scholars and youth service professionals, draw upon a large body of recent research showing that children are biologically primed ("hardwired") for enduring connections to others and for moral and spiritual meaning. The authors introduce a new public policy and social science term — authoritative communities — to describe the ten essential traits across social institutions that produce better outcomes for children.

The report proposes three major social goals and makes 18 recommendations for social and public policy change.

Authors include: T. Berry Brazelton, Robert Coles, James P. Comer, Thomas Insel, Kathleen Kovner Kline, Alvin Poussaint, Allan N. Schore, Linda Spear, Stephen J. Suomi, and Judith Wallerstein. The Commission on Children at Risk is an independent, jointly sponsored initiative of YMCAof the USA, Dartmouth Medical School, and the Institute for American Values.

“A major report...” —William Raspberry, nationally syndicated columnist, 9/22/03
“A real wake-up call for America's parents...” —Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, 9/9/03
“A stunning, must-read report...” —NY Post, 9/16/03
“A fascinating new report...” —George F. Will, nationally syndicated columnist, 9/21/03

How to Order

A single copy of Hardwired to Connect is $7.00 (plus shipping and handling charges). For pricing on additional quantities, consult the chart below. To order, download this order form (pdf file, 118kb) and send it in with your payment. You may also use this html-version of our order form. If you have any questions, please call us at (212) 246-3942.