Very rarely do I read a story in the press on treatment for psychological disorders and finish feeling satisfied and excited. Last week, the New York Times had one such story on how psychotherapy and family interventions can be effective in treating disorders for children. It covers parenting style and family dynamics, as well as a balanced view between drug and psychosocial treatments.

By defining mental disorders as primarily problems of brain chemicals, the emphasis on biology also led to an increasing dependence on psychiatric drugs, especially those that entered the market in the 1980s and 1990s.

But the science behind nondrug treatments is getting stronger. And now, some researchers and doctors are looking again at how inconsistent, overly permissive or uncertain child-rearing styles might worsen children’s problems, and how certain therapies might help resolve those problems, in combination with drug therapy or without drugs.

The Times continues to be one of the best resources for reliable information about psychology in the popular media, and if you have any interest in how childhood mental disorders can be treated, then this is a must read.

Comments

This post currently has 2 comments. You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts on our new comments page.

Trackbacks

No trackbacks yet to this post.

    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 27 Dec 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.