Pharmacological Therapies in Treating Childhood Behavioral Disorders Essay

Introduction

There are various therapies in the treatment of childhood behavior disorders such as behavioral therapy, pharmacological therapy, talk-therapy, intrapersonal therapy etc. this paper presents mostly the perspectives of two articles with regard to the pharmacological therapy in the treatment of childhood disorders. The article given in New York Times Article: ANTIDEPRESSANTS SEEN AS EFFECTIVE FOR ADOLESCENTS (Harris, June 2, 2004) reports the results of various studies revealing that pharmacological therapy is the best practice in the treatment of childhood disorders. Second article shows the five flows of clinical research trails. This paper is presented to assess the influence of media in persuasiveness of the information related to childhood behavior disorder. Media has a vital role in spreading the information on treatment of childhood behavioral disorder and in the makeup of decisions of the public.

Factors contributing to the persuasiveness of an information source

The validity of the study is the prime factor that contributes to the persuasiveness of an information source. If the result of the study is proved scientifically, the people will persuade to follow it. The validity of the research organization is the factor. If the research is conducted by the national and international famous organizations the people will receive it more quickly and also the media also should be well recognized. If these three factors come together the people will have much dependency and persuasiveness over the information.

There is an anxiety over the public regarding the use of medicines for the childhood behavioral disorders since the consequence of medication is much higher like lack of appetite, tiredness, feeling sleepy, and other biological symptoms. Therefore more people are in support of behavioral therapy. But with the advanced technology and scientifically researched pharmacological therapy has been in the process of development. Therefore, the perception of the people on the use of medicine in the treatment of childhood behavioral disorders is enormously changing day by day. There is an increase in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyper active disorder among the children. Use of medication such as stimulants, amphetamine and methyphetamine is prescribed by the psychiatrists for this disorder.

Medication for ADHD in Angel John

Angel John was a four year old female child who was brought by her parents in a mental hospital while I was doing block placement as the trainee of the social work. The main problems I found in her was that not able to focus one thing. She was doing something one after other restlessly. She easily became distracted and was unable to obey parents and others. She took much time to respond to the questions asked. Since she was found having more restlessness behavior, was prescribed methylphenidate. She had shown slight difference when she came for the next time. But unfortunately I could not measure her improvement continuously because my placement came to be over by then. I was there for two weeks since I met her.

Influence of the article on my idea and on the views of parents and lay

The article on ‘antidepressants seen as effective for adolescence’ points out that most of the studies show that pharmacological therapy or medication is better than talk therapy and behavioral therapy. ‘Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study’ made me to think in this line since it proved the success of pharmacological therapy. The result of this study brings one fact into light that 61% of the subject who received the pharmacological therapy intake of Prozac only responded to the treatment well. Only 43% of the clients were found that talk therapy is effective. ‘A landmark government-financed study’ in this article shows that intake of Prozac is better effective than the talk therapy among the teenagers in the case of depression. Again this article reports that a study conducted by ‘National Institute of Mental Health,’ unraveling one fact that talk-therapy was not effective among depression patients.

Reading this article a parent whose child is suffering from childhood behavioral disorders will certainly assume that pharmacological therapy or intake of medicine is better than psycho therapy and behavioral therapy since this article presents a number of in favoring results for pharmacological therapy. This article points that treatment of talk-therapy alone was not at all effective in reducing the depression among teenagers. But combination of talk-therapy and pharmacological therapy is more effective. Therefore the parents who read this article will think that pharmacological therapy is the best available treatment for the childhood behavioral disorders.

Still to read this article, my perception was that psycho therapy and behavioral therapy was more effective in dealing with the childhood behavioral disorders since it does not bring any repercussions while intake of medicine follows side effects. But this article proved based on the results of various scientific studies that pharmacotherapy is most successful in the treatment of childhood behavioral disorders. I had experiences with behavioral therapy and psychotherapy and medication. I was thinking that behavioral therapy is better than medication.

Critical Analysis and 5 flaws of clinical research trials

There is a problem with regard to the instability of the various measures. A study was conducted to measure and assess which medication is the best for adulthood behavioral disorders. First measurement showed that Prozac is superior in the medication. The next measurement pointed that there is no superiority for the Prozac and thirdly adolescent self-report measure pointed that there is no difference in the superiority between Prozac and Placebo. Therefore, the facts indicate that we cannot depend upon such studies that are inconsistent

TAD investigators also admitted that active ingredient cannot be measured and specified since there existed inequities in the conditions and dearth of blinding. Researchers’ industry connection is another criticism posed against these results of the researches. The article shows John March who is a writer was given funding from Eli Lilly, the manufacturer of Prozac who had a comprehensive relation or ties with the medical industry.

TADS reported that suicide attempts of six persons in connection with the Prozac takers and there reported only one incidents in the case of non Prozac takers. The results of TADS indicated the use of Prozac resulted in the rise of suicidal thought which is very harmful in adolescents who are suffering from behavioral disorders. Therefore the risk/benefit profile for Prozac was not favorable for the adolescents who were suffering from the adolescent and childhood behavior disorders.

The five flaws of clinical research trails are compromised blind, reliance on clinicians’ ratings, time of measurement, conflicts of interests and minimization of risks. “Placebo is compared to an active medication, depends upon the “blindness” of participants who rate the outcomes.” (Sparks, & Duncan, 2008, p.4). Reliance on clinicians: There will be difference on the actual improvement of the clinical trial from the perspective of the clinicians and clients.

“An extensive meta-analysis of 22 antidepressant studies involving 2,230 persons found that both “old” (e.g., Elavil) and “new” (e.g., Prozac) antidepressants showed an approximate 20% advantage over the placebo on clinician-rated measures, but none on client-rated measures.” (Sparks, & Duncan, 2008, p.5). Reliance on clinicians: There will When the client just experiences and understands his state to he would not feel improvement on the use of improvement but the clinician will analyze the response of the client towards the antidepressants. Time measurement means that antidepressants are prescribed for long time. Since it takes much time it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of antidepressants. Conflicts of interest means that there is an excessive pressure on the journals to broad cast and announce the funding resources. So they publish this pressurized source. MTA is not successful in providing a credible and realistic proof pointing that stimulant medication is superior to other options. When we evaluate the risk/benefit analysis, it does not hold up the stimulant medication as the best option.

Juxtaposing the idea from the two articles and Risks/Benefit Analysis and Ethics

While I was reading the first article I came to believe exactly about newly relevant results of the various studied conducted by well known organizations.

“In the midst of a worldwide debate on whether depressed children should be treated with antidepressant drugs like Prozac, a landmark government-financed study has found that Prozac helps teenagers overcome depression far better than talk therapy.” (Harris, 2004, p.1). The result of those researches shows that pharmacology is the best option for the treatment of childhood behavioral disorders. But after reading the second article, I was a little embarrassed with regard to the different flows. When the trail is related to behavioral and mental problems it is difficult to measure the improvement and change that happens in the client. At the same time there is unhealthy competition between different pharmaceutical companies that would lead to the dearth of reliability.

There are warning alerts on the increase of suicidal thinking as result of intake of antidepressants among children and adolescents. It may worsen the behavior of children and adolescence. But studies continuously report that if reduce the childhood behavior disorder. Since there is a competition in the profit motivated industry, the value of the treatment might be faded because of the ads, brochures and announcements of such industry. The people should be informed about it by the clinicians who can make the best assessment on the patient. There is no much awareness among the lay people regarding the medication of behavioral disorders since it is being in the process of growth. Therefore there may be unethical issues regarding behavioral disorders and its medication.

Conclusion

Media has a pertinent role in spreading the information on different types of therapies in childhood behavioral disorders. It influences the decision making of the people about the treatment of the childhood behavioral disorders. This paper is presented with the keen reflection of the two different articles in relation to the pharmacological therapy in the treatment of childhood and adolescent behavioral disorders.

Reference List

Harris, G. (2004). “Antidepressants seen as effective for adolescents”. The New York Times. 1.

Sparks, J A., & Duncan, B L. (2008). Do no harm: a critical risk/benefit analysis of child psychotropic medication: Reliance on clinician rating: flaw # 2. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 19(1). Child Psychotropic Medications. 5. Web.

Sparks, J A., & Duncan, B L. (2008). “Do no harm: a critical risk/benefit analysis of child psychotropic medications: Compromised blind: flaw # 1”. Journal Family Psychotherapy, 19(1). Child Psychotherapy Medications. 4.