title: Commentary on special section: deficit or difference? Interpreting diverse developmental paths.
abstract: In this special section, 6 articles address the provocative question of how to determine the boundary between difference and deficiency, for children who differ from the mainstream in some way--language, hearing, cultural background, socioeconomic status, or social understanding. Our commentary considers these articles in light of current models of cultural diversity, raising 4 warning signals about the danger of assuming deficits. Whereas children's school success is understandably a concern, we must be cautious about the known harmful effects of negative labeling and deficit assumptions.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Social Sciences 2, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA. callanan@ucsc.edu
authors: Maureen
authors: M
authors: Callanan
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Waxman
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D012923:Social Class