Understanding Behavior

Understanding Behavior: Mood Disorders

by

Alizé Bland

BS Program in Psychology: Forensic

Mansfield University

for

Professor Karen Crisp

PSY 3391: Psychological Disorders

November 2020
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Psychopharmacological Interventions

There are a number of mood disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). being prescribed drugs to treat mental health problems, this

issue is on the rise despite the fact that controversy exists around whether drugs should be used

with children. Psychopharmacology is the study of the use of medications in treating mental

disorders. The complexity of this field requires continuous study in order to keep current with

new advances (American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2019). How do you feel

about the use of psychopharmacological interventions with children? Well, I feel as though

children shouldn't have to take medication because it will interfere with the child's milestone

development and add on more symptoms. Also, I feel as though medications only work for a

limited time and once the body is used to the drugs, the body will start rejecting itself causing

irreversible symptoms; such as ticks, tremors, and other things. Children are ending up on drug

cocktails prescribed by their doctor; who continues to administer drugs that they want because of

the influence of big pharmaceutical companies.

We’ve watched videos in class that showed that doctors prescribed medication to children

2 years old and up as if it was candy and that is highly unacceptable! I don't think that children

ages 2 and up have mental health issues, they're just children! All children are curious and we

can’t blame them for that. How can you define normal? What someone else says is normal to

them may not be the same as your normal. So how can people judge others, especially children?

Yeah, they act out and do bad things but if there is no guidance or reassurance, or social support

for them then all children will end up on medication. There is no reason why there is an increase

in child psychopharmacology. From the videos, I believe that it's parents who can’t handle

raising a child or many and so they put both or all of their children on the medications instead of
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letting them grow as an individual and see what their skills are; my mother raised 11 plus

children and we all lived under the same roof and she never put any of us on medication despite

teachers recommendations, us being rowdy kids with our delinquent behaviors, and all types of

other things and I believe that we are a normal dysfunctional family. An article from class talked

about some parents who lost their case against their child’s school for not putting their child on

Ritalin. As stated before schools shouldn’t have any authority when it comes to putting a child

on medication unless the child is already taking medication and needs it during school hours

such as an inhaler.

I know that there are children out here suffering from mental health issues and I believe

that early intervention can help prevent or minimize mental health disorders in children because

most if not all are misdiagnosed. It has been stated that physicians tend to focus more on the

symptom at hand and not on the underlying issue/condition. By waiting until a child has hit

every milestone and successfully developed it can be determined if there is a possible disability

and a need to take action. I think we should use other preventative or treatment ways to fully

operate without medications, allowing parents and caregivers to weigh their options and choose

to use medicine as a last resort.

Gadow (1991) examined previous research over the past 2 decades that dealt with

psychopharmacologists who have made considerable strides in establishing the safety and

efficacy of psychotropic drug therapy for childhood behavior disorders. Most of the research has

focused on children with disruptive behavior disorders, autism, or mental retardation, but more

recently other disorders such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, separation anxiety

(school refusal), and Tourette syndrome are also receiving attention. Psychopharmacotherapy has

often been a matter of controversy, with most issues pertaining to either the appropriateness of
Understanding Behavior
medication (e.g., rationales for treatment, alternative interventions, toxicity, iatrogenic effects) or

inadequacies of clinical management (e.g., availability of services, drug assessment procedures,

limitations of research).

Kubiszyn & Carlson (1995) examined previous research that dealt with school

psychologists and their rights to prescribe medicine to children. Psychopharmacological

intervention with both adults and school-age children has been on the increase and likely will

continue to rise in the future. Survey results suggest the majority opinion has shifted from

opposing to supporting appropriately trained psychologists obtaining prescription privileges.

Talks about maintaining pediatric psychopharmacology, especially when the use of stimulants is

a rapidly growing field.

Leadelle Phelps et al. (2004) examined the essential information needed for practitioners

who wish to optimize their treatment of childhood and adolescent mental disorders through a

better understanding of psychopharmacological agents and improved collaborative options with

prescribing clinicians. It informs readers about medications proven effective in the treatment of

children and adolescents via double-blind studies and the various nonpharmacological

interventions that have empirical support. In addition to guidelines for the integration of

psychosocial and pharmacological interventions, this book suggests solutions to the difficulties

that practitioners encounter in persuading patients and their families to begin and adhere to a

treatment regimen. Furthermore, practitioners will learn straightforward ways to determine the

effectiveness of medication protocols and to actively participate in collaborative interventions.

Vitiello (2006) examined the recent accomplishments and current limitations of pediatric

psychopharmacology while discussing approaches to further research. Vitiello’s methods include

Understanding Behavior
using a selective review of the relevant literature and research in progress. Results indicated that

controlled clinical trials are commonly conducted in many psychiatric disorders in children and

adolescents, thus providing a basis on which evidence-based treatment guidelines can be. Safety

concerns are prominent and have a major influence on clinical practice and drug utilization.

Conclusions: While a research infrastructure has been successfully built for conducting pediatric

clinical trials, important aspects such as long-term treatment effects, optimal sequencing and

individualization of interventions, and integration of neuroscience findings into innovative,

theory-driven treatment development remain to be addressed.

Marvasti et al. (2018) focused on why play therapists should be familiar with the effects

and side effects of psychiatric medications. This article focuses on the side effects of medications

commonly prescribed to children with psychiatric conditions, and we explain how play therapists

may tailor their play therapy interventions to cope with the side effects of medications. The side

effects range from insignificant/temporary (e.g., dry mouth, stuffy nose), significant/permanent

(e.g., tardive dyskinesia), to life-threatening disorders (e.g., serotonin syndrome). By

understanding psychopharmacology, therapists can get a better grasp of the cause of new

psychological or behavioral complaints.

To conclude, pediatric psychopharmacology is a fast-growing field that has been around

for decades and children have been on medications for decades and now new research is showing

that it needs to stop or we need to educate the people to help be aware of what is to be expected

of children on medication.
Understanding Behavior
References

● American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology. (2019). What is

psychopharmacology? Ascpp.Org.

https://ascpp.org/resources/information-for-patients/what-is-psychopharmacology/

● Vitiello, B. (2006). Research in child and adolescent psychopharmacology: recent

accomplishments and new challenges. Psychopharmacology, 191(1), 5–13.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0414-3

● Leadelle Phelps, Brown, R. T., & Power, T. J. (2004). Pediatric psychopharmacology :

combining medical and psychosocial interventions. American Psychological Association.

● Kubiszyn, T., & Carlson, C. I. (1995). School psychologists’ attitudes toward an

expanded health care role: Psychopharmacology and prescription privileges. School

Psychology Quarterly, 10(3), 247–270. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088303

● Mash, E. J., & Wolfe, D. A. (2017). Abnormal child psychology (sixth). W. Ross

Macdonald School Resource Services Library.

● Gadow, K. D. (1991). Clinical issues in child and adolescent psychopharmacology.

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59(6), 842–852.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006x.59.6.842

● Marvasti, J. A., Wu, P., & Merritt, R. (2018). Psychopharmacology for play therapists.

International Journal of Play Therapy, 27(1), 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1037/pla0000063