Psychologists Opine On Excessive Punishment For Child With Behavioral Disorders

Case Overview

This case involves a child who suffered assault and battery while at school. The child had been notoriously disruptive and aggressive for the past few months but had not been diagnosed with any behavioral disorders. During recess, the child instigated an altercation with another classmate on the playground that became physical with the classmate. In response to the behavior, an untrained staff member allegedly dragged the flailing child by her hair across the pavement causing bruises and scraping to her knees. The child was subsequently assessed by a psychologist and diagnosed with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. It was alleged that the child was improperly supervised by the school staff and that the staff member who intervened was excessively punitive during this encounter. An expert in child psychology with specific experience in behavioral disorders was sought to speak to the standard of care and training needed to care for a child with a behavior problem, as well as opine on the psychological sequelae suffered by the child as a result of the actions taken by the supervising staff member during the incident in question.

Questions to the Psychology expert and their responses

Please describe your background in child psychology.

I have a Ph.D. in developmental and clinical psychology. I have specialized in training parents in positive behavior modification for several years in my practice in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at a major research university.

Please describe your work with children who have behavioral disorders.

I have presented multiple workshops on parent management training for youth with ADHD and associated disruptive behavior disorders. I have several years of experience working with parents and teachers to support children with ADHD.

What is your experience in training childcare staff on proper care of children with these disorders?

Many childcare staff are unfamiliar with ADHD and how to handle youngsters with disruptive behavior disorders and benefit from targeted support around appropriate behavioral management, with an emphasis on positive reinforcement.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert earned her BS at the University of Georgia then attended the University of Maine where she earned her MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology. She then went on to Johns Hopkins to complete a fellowship in Clinical and Pediatric Psychology, and a subsequent research fellowship in Psychology and Adolescent Health. This expert is a licensed psychologist in Maryland and is active in her field as a member of professional societies including the American Psychological Association, the Society for Research in Adolescence, the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, and the American Burn Association. Currently, she serves as the Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology Fellowship at a Medical School in Maryland.