I am most indebted to my wife, Jennifer, and three wonderful children: Thomas, Marie, and Anne Catherine. My children were infants and toddlers when the first edition of this book was published, and now they are all teenagers! It has been a pleasure helping them along their developmental paths, wherever these paths might eventually lead.
Robert Weis
Denison University
Granville, Ohio
About the Author
Robert Weisis a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Denison University, a liberal arts college near Columbus, Ohio. He earned an AB in psychology from the University of Chicago and a PhD in clinical child psychology from Northern Illinois University. He completed his predoctoral and postdoctoral work in clinical child and pediatric psychology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Ohio) and Portage County Mental Health Center (Wisconsin). At Denison, he teaches courses in abnormal psychology, developmental psychopathology, systems of psychotherapy, and humanistic-existential psychology. He is a recipient of the Charles A. Brickman Teaching Excellence Award. His research interests are in children’s mental health program evaluation and the assessment of ADHD and learning disabilities. His work has been published in Psychological Science, the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the Journal of Abnormal Child and Adolescent Psychology, Psychological Assessment, the Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, the Journal of Learning Disabilities, and Psychology in the Schools. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, three children, and little dog.
Part I Evidence-Based Research and Practice
Chapter 1 The Science and Practice of Abnormal Child Psychology
Chapter 2 The Causes of Childhood Disorders
Chapter 3 Research Methods With Children and Families
Chapter 4 Assessing and Treating Children’s Problems
1 The Science and Practice of Abnormal Child Psychology
©iStockphoto.com/Liderina
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
1.1 Critically evaluate the concept of a mental disorder as it applies to children and adolescents.Explain how mental health professionals diagnose youths using DSM-5.
1.2 Describe the prevalence of childhood disorders and how it varies as a function of children’s age, gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.
1.3 Describe the characteristics of evidence-based practice and the types of professionals who help children and families in need.Identify and apply four ethical principles that are important when helping children and families.
There once was a craftsman who used all his skill to create a wonderful new pot. The pot was made of clay, shaped by his weathered hands, and baked into a beautiful form. The man glazed and decorated the pot, using colors and designs that were as unique as they were beautiful. When it was finished, the man carried the pot to a nearby well to fetch some water for his home. To his surprise, he discovered the pot had developed a small crack from the kiln, which caused water to leak from the bottom. At first, the crack was small, but over time it became larger and more noticeable.
One day, the man’s friend said, “That pot has a crack. By the time you get home, you’ve lost half of your water. Why don’t you throw it away and get a new one?” The man paused, turned to his friend, and replied, “Yes, it’s true that this pot leaks. But each day it waters the flowers on the path from the well to my home.” Sure enough, along the path had sprung countless wildflowers of all varieties, while in other areas, the land was barren. In response, the man’s friend simply nodded his approval1 (Image 1.1).
1Adapted from a story by Kevin Kling.
The story of the broken pot illustrates each person’s dignity and value. Everyone has unique gifts and talents, although sometimes they are hard to recognize. When studying children with psychological problems, it’s easy to focus on limitations and to lose sight of the children themselves. Many of these youths face significant challenges in performing everyday activities like bathing, dressing, or speaking. Other children struggle at school or when interacting with others. Still other youths have difficulty controlling their actions and emotions.
©iStockphoto.com/Melissa Kopka
Regardless of their disability, disorder, or diagnosis, these children have intrinsic worth. A challenge facing parents, teachers, and all people who interact with these youths is to not lose sight of the child when we focus on his or her problems. One of my clients, Will, was born with Down syndrome. Although he struggled with reading and math, he taught his classmates to be patient, to act with empathy, and to respect others who are different. Another client, Camden, had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Even with medication and therapy, he had problems staying focused in class; however, he also had an excellent sense of humor and loved to play soccer. Still another client, Chloe, struggled with anxiety and depression, but family therapy helped to improve her relationship with her parents and her connection with others in her community.
If you’re reading this book, it’s likely that you enjoy interacting with children and helping others in need. I hope that this book will introduce you to the ways we can use psychological science and evidence-based strategies to help children and families. Students like you often find themselves on the front lines of treatment. Some work in residential treatment facilities with disruptive adolescents. Others serve as behavior therapists for children with developmental disabilities. Still other students volunteer with at-risk youths; they may tutor children with learning delays, serve as Big Brothers or Big Sisters to disadvantaged children, or facilitate after-school groups for children in high-risk neighborhoods. There is no shortage of people who want to help children in need; the difficulty is finding individuals who are willing to use scientific principles and evidence-based practices to help them. The field desperately needs bright, empathic students who are willing to devote their time and energy to help children using psychological science. I’m so happy that you are willing to take the first step on this rewarding journey.
1.1 Identifying Behavior Problems in Children
What Do We Mean by “Abnormal?”
Deviation, Disability, and Distress
There is no consensus on how to define abnormal behavior in children and no agreement on how best to differentiate abnormalities from normal functioning. However, mental health professionals have proposed three
