Abnormal psychology in childhood: article analysis and review

Freud was Right, Peter Muris discusses Freud's analysis of abnormal behavior. He acknowledges that Freud's research methods were flawed because he focused on case studies rather than empirical analysis to try to determine causation. Despite that, Muris suggests that Freud's theories about the etiology of psychological disorders and abnormal behavior being rooted in childhood and showing emerging behavior in children and adolescents may be supported by what is known of abnormal psychology. This does not mean that Muris believes that Freud's explanations for abnormal behavior, specifically his Oedipal theories, explain abnormal behavior; he does not believe that abnormal behavior is necessarily rooted in sexual impulses towards parents as Freudian theories would explain. However, he does believe that Freud's studies began to explain the origins of abnormal human behavior and may provide insight into helping those who engage in abnormal behavior.

Muris believes that many patterns of abnormal adult behavior have their roots in adolescence or childhood, either manifesting in childhood or caused by childhood trauma. In fact, 36.7% of all youth suffer from some type of diagnosable psychological problem prior to their 16th birthdays. The causes for this are linked to four groups of factors: characteristics of the child; family relationships (specifically parent-child relationships); influences of the environment (learning experiences); and societal influences. The characteristics of the child look at innate characteristics that may be genetic; three of the most common psychological disorders in youth (anxiety disorders, depression, and disruptive behavior disorders) have a proven strong genetic component. Furthermore, while heredity may influence the emotionality of the child and the child's susceptibility to psychological problems, it interacts with what is known as effortful control. Family relationships focus on two dimensions of parental attitudes towards children: warmth and the level of independence expected from children. Anxiety is linked to overprotective parents, depression linked to cold or rejecting parents, and behavioral problems linked to a combination of high-control and rejection. In addition, through modeling, children may repeat their parents' behavior, specifically abnormal behavior. Learning experiences, particularly aversive life events, can play a role in psychopathology, including simply the acquisition of negative information. Societal-level influences can include things such as the impact of racism leading to higher levels of anxiety in black South African children than in white South African children, which is linked to the socioeconomic differences between the two groups.

Muris discusses the impact that early intervention during youth can decrease adult psychopathology in impacted youth. These interventions can include parental training and various forms of cognitive behavioral therapy. However, interventions have not necessarily been specifically tailored to those working with problem youths. Moreover, many children may lack access to help because of the stigma related to mental health disorders.