June 26, 1990
via the Behavioral Medicine ReportChildren’s Anxiety And Depression Halved When Parenting Is Styled To Personality
a few excerpts:
"When it comes to rearing children, just about any parent will say that what works with one kid might not work with another. Parents use all sorts of strategies to keep kids from being cranky, grumpy, fearful or moody, while encouraging them to be independent and well-adjusted. But which parenting styles work best with which kids? A study by University of Washington psychologists provides advice about tailoring parenting to children’s personalities.""At the end of the three-year study, the psychologists found that the right match between parenting styles and the child’s personality led to half as many depression and anxiety symptoms in school-aged children. But mismatches led to twice as many depression and anxiety symptoms during the same three years."
The study was published online Aug. 1 in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.
“This study moves away from the one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, and gives specific advice to parents on how to mitigate their child’s anxiety and depression,” said Cara Kiff, lead author and psychology resident at the UW School of Medicine. “We’re considering characteristics that make children vulnerable to anxiety and depression, and factoring in how that shapes how kids react to different parenting approaches.”
“We hear a lot about over-involved parents, like ‘tiger moms’ and ‘helicopter parents,’” said co-author Liliana Lengua, a UW psychology professor. “It is parents’ instinct to help and support their children in some way, but it’s not always clear how to intervene in the best way. This research shows that parenting is a balance between stepping in and stepping out with guidance, support and structure based on cues from kids.” read here.
When I read this article about anxiety and depression, and how altering parenting styles can lessen the level of anxiety and depression a child experiences; I couldn't help but wonder, how many issues could be effectively resolved by parents and the other adults in a child's life adjusting or altering how they interact with a child?
It seems short-sighted in the extreme to assume that a child's issues are primarily due to a deficit or defect in the child, without considering all of the potential causes for problems. How many issues and/or difficulties children and adolescents have can be 'effectively treated' by assessing and attending to the child's needs in a holistic, positive, supportive and consistent manner? Imagine instead of operating from a perspective that a child's difficulties are due to a inherent or innate biological defect within the child; using a perspective that recognizes behavioral and emotional problems rarely (if ever) develop in a biological vacuum; but may result from attempts to cope with social, emotional, or nutritional needs being ineffectively and/or inconsistently met. It is much more likely that a particular emotional or behavioral problem a child has is caused by physical, emotional, nutritional or social needs not being effectively, appropriately and/or consistently met.
What is done when a child has emotional or behavioral difficulties? Most often, the child is labeled with a psychiatric diagnosis; the child and parents/caregivers are told the diagnosis is caused by an underlying defect, disease or chemical imbalance that the child has. They are not told this claim is simply a hypothesis, which has never been scientifically, or medically validated. They are not told this claim it is not a scientific fact, or a medical certainty. They are not told that to date, no disease, defect, or chemical imbalance has ever been identified which causes ADD, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, OCD, ODD, or any other psychiatric diagnosis--including Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia.
The 'mental illness is disease paradigm' is a pretty convenient way for the rest of society to abdicate responsibility for correcting deficits individuals and society have, which cause or exacerbate the difficulties a person with a psychiatric diagnosis experiences. Bio-medical psychiatry devotees who believe the "mental illness is disease," in the absence of scientific proof; are welcome to believe what they wish. However this belief became the basis of Public Policy for mental health treatment; and for the Involuntary Commitment Laws which deny the Human Rights of people who are Court Ordered to Inpatient and Outpatient treatment for a psychiatric diagnosis.
What makes the bio-medical paradigm, a belief, so popular? I believe it is popular because it conveniently let's everybody else in society off the hook. It let's everyone without a psychiatric diagnosis off the hook for correcting the emotional, social, behavioral and financial deficits which exist within individuals, families, and within social systems, which can exacerbate, contribute to, and/or actually cause, the unique difficulties people who are given a psychiatric diagnosis may experience.
What makes the bio-medical paradigm, a belief, so popular? I believe it is popular because it conveniently let's everybody else in society off the hook. It let's everyone without a psychiatric diagnosis off the hook for correcting the emotional, social, behavioral and financial deficits which exist within individuals, families, and within social systems, which can exacerbate, contribute to, and/or actually cause, the unique difficulties people who are given a psychiatric diagnosis may experience.
Why would any scientist or doctor claim that every psychiatric diagnosis, (or any psychiatric diagnosis) is due to a genetic or biological cause, in the absence of scientific proof? Why would anyone believe any scientist or doctor who would make such a claim; without sharing a valid scientific basis for such a claim? How could any psychiatrist who makes this claim be considered ethical, honest or even trustworthy while making this claim?
It is a betrayal of the worst kind; to label a child or an adult with a psychiatric diagnosis; to in effect declare that a person has a biological defect; when there is no proof that this is true; and is not even scientific. It is ludicrous to assume, much less believe accept as scientific or medical fact, that every individual who develops emotional, behavioral or social difficulties, develops these difficulties in a biological vacuum, and therefore has a psychiatric diagnosis due to disease, defect or chemical imbalance.
It is much more likely that how other people have treated those who are given a psychiatric diagnosis, has a lot to do with the degree of difficulty experienced by the person; whether a child or an adult. Particularly, those who are or have been neglected and/or abused, bullied, or otherwise victimized; who are then declared to 'lack insight' and are often repeatedly invalidated when sharing how their experiences have caused them harm. It is likely that how we as individuals, and as a society, treat people with a psychiatric diagnosis, has a tremendous impact; and that this impact has a whole lot to do with each and every one of these individual's potential for recovery.
It is a betrayal of the worst kind; to label a child or an adult with a psychiatric diagnosis; to in effect declare that a person has a biological defect; when there is no proof that this is true; and is not even scientific. It is ludicrous to assume, much less believe accept as scientific or medical fact, that every individual who develops emotional, behavioral or social difficulties, develops these difficulties in a biological vacuum, and therefore has a psychiatric diagnosis due to disease, defect or chemical imbalance.
It is much more likely that how other people have treated those who are given a psychiatric diagnosis, has a lot to do with the degree of difficulty experienced by the person; whether a child or an adult. Particularly, those who are or have been neglected and/or abused, bullied, or otherwise victimized; who are then declared to 'lack insight' and are often repeatedly invalidated when sharing how their experiences have caused them harm. It is likely that how we as individuals, and as a society, treat people with a psychiatric diagnosis, has a tremendous impact; and that this impact has a whole lot to do with each and every one of these individual's potential for recovery.
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