Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Video Resources

What DSM-5 Means for Diagnosing Mental Health Patients?

​Learning Objective: 1.2 Critically evaluate the DSM-5 concept of “mental disorder” as it applies to children and adolescents.

Description: This 8½ minute PBS NewsHour interview discusses the implications of the changes in the most recent edition of the DSM.

Questions to Consider

1. What are the strengths and limitations of the revised DSM?
2. What is the role of clinical judgment in using the DSM?
3. As discussed in the video, what is the risk of taking the DSM too literally?
    

Professional Resources: Why are Evidence-Based Practices Important in Mental Health?

Learning Objective: 1.4 Explain why evidence-based practice is helping children and families experiencing mental health problems.

Description: This hour-long keynote address by Dr. William Pelham at the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology discusses the current status of evidence-based practice in the field.

Questions to Consider

1. What reasons does Dr. Pelham give for why evidence-based practices are important?
2. How effective are evidence-based treatments?
3. What are the criteria for evidence-based treatment? That is, how do we know if a treatment is evidence-based?

4. What are the barriers to implementing evidence-based practices?

Childhood is Not a Mental Disorder

Learning Objective: 1.1 Describe the prevalence of childhood disorders and how prevalence varies as a function of children’s age, gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Description: ​This very brief (less than 2 minute) video encourages people to stop labeling children with disorders. This video may serve as a discussion launcher to discuss why diagnosis is controversial.

Questions to Consider

1. The video makes the point that children should not be diagnosed. Why?
2. How would you defend the importance of diagnosis?
    

Audio Resources

How Talking Openly Against Stigma Helped a Mother and Son Cope with Bipolar Disorder?

Learning Objective: 1.1 Describe the prevalence of childhood disorders and how prevalence varies as a function of children’s age, gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Description: This 11-minute news story discusses how one family went from not understanding the son’s diagnosis to being advocates against stigma and for diagnosis and treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. Why was it so difficult to get an appropriate diagnosis for Eric?
2. Describe how stigma affected both Eric and his mother.
3. Why does Eric now call bipolar disorder his superpower?

**If you prefer a video, there is a TED Talk by Liza Long on the same topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkL6Qx07aiU

Trauma Plagues Many Immigrant Kids in the United States Illegally

Learning Objective: 1.1 Describe the prevalence of childhood disorders and how prevalence varies as a function of children’s age, gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Description: This 5-minute news story discusses the experience of violence and trauma among Central American children who have entered the United States Illegally.

Questions to Consider

1. List and describe the challenges facing the children described in the news story.
2. What first steps do you think would help these children?

Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Video Resources

Nature or Nurture: The Role of Epigenetics

Learning Objective: 2.1 Explain how genetic and epigenetic research is used to explore the causes of childhood disorders.
This 30-minute video from the American Psychological Association’s videos for psychology teachers describes the mechanisms involved in epigenetics generally.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe the research on the epigenesis of fear.
2. In the study described, if genes predispose mice to diabetes, why does Dr. Stowell argue that it is both nature and nurture?
3. Epigenetics may help us understand why populations shift over time. Given this, why do you think that we may see more cases of some disorders (for example, ADHD) at sometimes than others?
    

Is Our Society Breaking Children’s Brains?

Learning Objective: 2.5 Analyze the way social and cultural factors can influence child development and affect the emergence of disorders among youths.
This 12-minute TED talk from Great Britain’s former Department of Education mental health champion Natasha Devon talks about how children’s mental health is affected by stresses from school, poverty, and the health system.

Questions to Consider

1. Natasha Devon is very outspoken in her ideas about mental health. Why do you think that her views are controversial?
2. Ms. Devon argues that societal pressures affect children’s mental health on a large scale. How might you begin to address these concerns?
3. One specific concern that she raises is high stakes academic testing. What research or next steps would you recommend to examine this issue?
    

Demi Lovato Kicks Habit on Climb to Stardom

Learning Objective: Analyze the way social and cultural factors can influence child development and affect the emergence of disorders among youths.
Demi Lovato has been very open with her struggles with bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and addiction. This 7-minute video addresses the origin and treatment of her issues.

Questions to Consider

1. Why do you think that Demi Lovato developed mental illness?
2. How does she bring together multiple factors in her recovery?

3. How do you think that a star being this open about recovery influences children?

Audio Resources

Bullying and Psychiatric Illness Linked

Learning Objective: 2.4 Understand the way parents, families, and peers can contribute to childhood problems or protect youths from developing disorders.
This 17-minute program discusses the results of a study on the link between bullying and later psychiatric illness with the study’s lead author, William Coleman of Duke University, and Rosalind Wiseman, an author who writes about bullying.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe some of the long-term results of bullying. Were you surprised by these results? Why or why not?
2. It can be difficult to study bullying because it is intertwined with other issues that children face. What are some of these issues?
3. Given the results of this study, what do you see as appropriate next steps in this area?
    

Map of the Developing Human Brain Shows Where Problems Begin

Learning Objective: 2.2 Describe the structure and function of major brain regions and their relationship to childhood disorders.
This 4-minute clip discusses current research on how the fetal brain is related to the development of later disorders.

Questions to Consider

1. Why did the researchers decide to look at the fetal brain? Why is this research important?
2. How do findings from research on autism in the fetal brain differ from findings from research in the adult brain?
3. What other mental illnesses may benefit from this research?

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Video Resources

Why Our IQ Levels Are Higher Than Our Grandparents?

Learning Objective: 3.1.b. Understand the basic techniques used to assess children and families, such as diagnostic interviewing, behavioral assessment, intellectual assessment, and personality assessment.
This TED Talk with James Flynn considers why IQ has changed in recent years and why we need to continue to revise our understanding of what is intelligent.

Questions to Consider

1. Flynn discusses the implications of Luria’s research. What are these three primary implications?
2. What changes have we seen in performance on tests in the recent decades?
3. What changes have we not seen in recent decades?
    

IQ Tests/Personality Tests/Funny Test Videos

Learning Objective: 3.1.c Define and give examples of reliability and validity.
This link will take you to a YouTube channel of “psychological tests.” Pick one of these tests, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Questions to Consider

1. How might you assess the reliability of this test?
2. How might you rate the validity of this test?
3. Is this a test that you would recommend to others? Why or why not?
    

Audio Resources

Screening Mental Health in Kindergarten Is Way Too Late, Experts Say

Learning Objective: 3.1 Describe the purpose of psychological assessment and the importance of including information from multiple informants and multiple methods.
This 5-minute clip discusses the importance of screening infants and toddlers for risk factors for mental illness and describes a program that does just that.

Questions to Consider:

1. How does Healthy Steps assess young children?
2. Why is it important to look for these sign before school age?
3. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Healthy Steps model that has a psychologist on site with the pediatrician?
    

Why is Psychiatry’s New Manual So Much Like the Old One?

Learning Objective: 3.2 Describe the DSM-5 approach to diagnosing mental disorders.
This 8 1/3-minute audio story examines what changed—and what did not—between DSM-4 and DSM-5 and the need to examine the underpinnings of the disorders rather than just the appearance of the symptoms.

Questions to Consider:

1. Why does Desmond-Hellman say that the emphasis on signs and symptoms of a disease “could be seen as holding us back”?
2. Why is the diagnosis of mental disorders behind other areas of medicine in this respect?
3. Is looking at the brain to diagnose enough? Do you think that this ought to be sufficient or are there other improvements to diagnosis and classification that need to be made?

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Video Resources

Albert Bandura on Behavior Therapy, Self-Efficacy, and Modeling

Learning Objective: 4. 2 Differentiate the major systems of psychotherapy used to treat children, adolescents, and families.

Description: In this 2-minute clip, Albert Bandura discusses how the Bobo doll experiments led to changes in behavioral intervention.

Questions to Consider

1. How did the Bobo doll experiments lead to changes in treatment?
2. What are the three elements Bandura says that you need to change the society?

For a longer interview with Albert Bandura, see Inside the Psychologist’s Studio with Albert Bandura from the Association for Psychological Science. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_U-pSZwHy8 (46 minutes)

Too Many Meds for Foster Kids?

Learning Objective: 4.1 Identify some common medications used to treat childhood disorders and the neurotransmitters they affect.

Description: This 5-minute clip describes the results of a GAO report on the prescription of psychotropic medication for children in foster care.

Questions to Consider

1. Why do foster children receive more prescription medication than other children?
2. How can we be sure that children who need medication receive it while avoiding overprescription problems in other children?
3. One of the experts says that these children have been through terrible experiences and that we should not necessarily try to change their brain chemistry. Explain why he said this.
    

An Overview of American Children and Mental Health

Learning Objective: Be familiar with the research literature on the efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy for children.

Description: This 4-minute video from the National Institute of Mental Health describes the results of the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES).

Questions to Consider

1. What is the NHANES study?
2. Describe the findings with respect to treatment of disorders?
3. How can these results be used to further treatment and research in the future?
    

Audio Resources

Treating Children with Mental Disorders

Learning Objective: 4.3 Be familiar with the research literature on the efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy for children.

Description: This 17-minute story describes one family’s path in the treatment of a child with bipolar disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe this family’s journey. Do you think that the ups and downs are inevitable in this type of situation or would better treatment have helped?
2. Dr. Williamson discusses how to recognize the signs of serious issues. What are these?
3. Dr. Williamson addresses concerns about the treatment of African American children with mental health issues. Describe these.

Train the Brain: Using Neurofeedback to Treat ADHD

Learning Objective: 4.3 Be familiar with the research literature on the efficacy and effectiveness of psychotherapy for children.

Description: This 5 ½-minute story considers the relatively new treatment neurofeedback for children with ADHD. The audio clip discusses both the promise of the treatment and the need for more treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. Why is neurofeedback appealing to parents? What does it involve?
2. What does the preliminary evidence say about it?
3. If parents like this approach, why is it important that there is more research on it?

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Video Resources

Down Syndrome Journey

Learning Objective: 5.1 Describe the key features of Intellectual Disability and the way in which children with this condition can vary in terms of their adaptive functioning.

Description: In this 8-minute clip, six families with children with Down Syndrome describe their experiences.

Questions to Consider

1. How did the families react to the initial diagnosis?
2. How have the families adjusted now?
3. What did you observe about the variations in children’s adaptive functioning?
    

Fragile X Journey with the Justus Family

Learning Objective: 5.2.b Explain how genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors can lead to developmental disabilities in children.

Description: This 7-minute video explores the experience of one family living with Fragile X and the scientific advance being made to understand and treat the disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. What are the symptoms of Fragile X?
2. How does this disorder affect the family?
3. Describe some of the scientific advances that have been made in the treatment of Fragile X?
    

Tragic Impact of Lead Poisoning on Kids: Flint Water Crisis

Learning Objective: 5.2.b Explain how genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors can lead to developmental disabilities in children.

Description: This 8-minute video clip from MSNBC accompanies the Psychology and Society topic in Chapter 5. The video summarizes the impact of the crisis on children.

Questions to Consider

1. According to the panelists, what should be done for affected children?
2. In addition to lead, what other issues may compound this problem in kids?
3. What is the role of the school system in the face of widespread lead poisoning?
    

Let’s Talk About Intellectual Disabilities

Learning Objective: 5.1 the key features of Intellectual Disability and the way in which children with this condition can vary in terms of their adaptive functioning.

Description: In this 11-minute TED Talk, Loretta Claiborne talks about her experience growing up with an intellectual disability. Unable to walk or talk until she was 4, Loretta went on to compete in Special Olympics and, eventually, became a world-class runner and motivational speaker.

Questions to Consider

1. What does Loretta Claiborne’s experience tell you about the assumptions we make about those with intellectual disabilities?
2. Why do you think she was able to accomplish all of these things?
    

Audio Resources

With Advances in Prenatal Testing, Difficult Choices Arise

Learning Objective: 5.2.b Explain how genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors can lead to developmental disabilities in children.

Description: This 30-minute Talk of the Nation discussion addresses how prenatal testing affected the decisions of parents.

Questions to Consider

1. The women in this story came to different conclusions. What factors do you think weighed into this most difficult decision?
2. How have these women coped with their respective decisions?
3. What would you tell women who are deciding whether or not to have prenatal testing completed?
    

After 50 Years, Head Start Struggles with Uneven Quality

Learning Objective: 5.3 Identify evidence-based techniques to prevent and treat developmental disabilities.

Description: This short clip describes the results of a recent study that found tremendous variation in the quality of Head Start across the country.

Questions to Consider

1. What were the results of the study?
2. If we are to seek evidence-based interventions, how should we address these results?
3. To accompany this audio, read the following story: A Lesson for Preschools: When It’s Done Right, the Benefits Last. http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/11/17/502299963/a-lesson-for-preschools-when-its-done-right-the-benefits-last How does this article inform your thoughts on the audio clip?

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Video Resources

The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

Learning Objective: 6.1 Describe the key features of ASD and explain how the disorder exists along a “spectrum.”

Description: In this 20-minute TED Talk, autism activist and Professor Temple Grandin discusses her experiences as someone with ASD.

Questions to Consider

1. Temple Grandin argues that the world needs people on the ASD spectrum. Why?
2. What signs and symptoms do you observe in Temple Grandin? How does she described the signs and symptoms in herself?
3. Why do you think that she has been so successful in working with animals?
    

Autism’s Prevalence Grows

Learning Objective: 6.1.b E Show how the prevalence of ASD varies as a function of children’s gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.

Description: This 10-minute video from PBS News Hour discusses the recent increase in prevalence of autism.

Questions to Consider

1. The experts offer several reasons for why the prevalence of autism has been increasing. What are these?
2. What factors are associated with an increased risk of autism?
    

Autism Now: Meet Nick, Robert MacNeil’s Grandson

Learning Objective: 6.1 Describe the key features of ASD and explain how the disorder exists along a “spectrum.”

Description: This 15-minute video provides an in-depth portrait of one child with autism, describing his symptoms and his family’s struggle with the disorder itself and to receive the best possible treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. Why do you think the vaccine hypothesis persists despite extensive research?
2. Describe Nick’s symptoms. What do you observe watching him in this video?
3. How have physical symptoms played a role in his diagnosis?
    

See How ABA Therapy Helped a Child with Autism

Learning Objective: 6.3 Describe several evidenced-based treatments for ASD and differentiate these treatments from interventions that lack empirical support.

Description: This 4-minute video shows how early, intensive applied behavior analysis helped one child with autism spectrum disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe Christopher today. How has his behavior changed over the course of treatment?
2. Describe the treatment that Christopher received.
3. What obstacles do you think exist that prevent other families from benefiting from ABA?
    

Audio Resources

After the Diagnosis: How Families Experience Autism

Learning Objective: 6.1 Describe the key features of ASD and explain how the disorder exists along a “spectrum.”

Description: This 11-minute story explores how three families are living with the diagnosis of autism.

Questions to Consider

1. How does the level of functioning vary in these three people who have autism spectrum diagnosis?
2. What happened within the families after diagnosis?
3. What do you think the long-term concerns are in these families?
    

Sesame Street Reveals New Character: A Girl with Autism

Learning Objective: List and describe early deficits in social cognition typically shown by infants and toddlers who are later diagnosed with ASD.

Description: This 3-minute video clip describes a new online-only character on Sesame Street.

Questions to Consider

1. Why did Sesame Street choose to introduce Julia?
2. What symptoms does Julia show?
3. What lessons does Elmo have for children on how to understand autism spectrum disorder?

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Video Resources

Kids Talk About Stuttering

Learning Objective: 7.1 Describe the key features of children’s communication disorders.

Description: In this 1-minute video from the Stuttering Foundation, children talk about their experience with stuttering.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe these children’s symptoms.
2. What do these children want people to know about stuttering?
3. How did this short clip challenge your assumptions about stuttering?
    

My World Without Numbers

Learning Objective: 7.2.b Describe how learning disorders/disabilities are identified in school-age children.

Description: In this 11-minute TED Talk, Line Rothman talks about her experience struggling with math.

Questions to Consider

1. What techniques has Line used to get by as she lives with Mathematics Disorder?
2. Why was she so pleased to get this diagnosis?
3. How has her disability become her strength?
    

Response to Intervention: Data-Based Decision-Making

Learning Objective: 7.2.c Give examples of evidence-based treatments for school-age children with reading, writing, or math disabilities.

Description: This 14-minute video from Lehigh University describes how this evidence-based approach is implemented.

Questions to Consider

1. What is the purpose of RTI?
2. What are the four phases of the RTI process?
3. Why are data so important in RTI?
    

Audio Resources

Millions Have Dyslexia, Few Understand It

Learning Objective: 7.2.b Describe how learning disorders/disabilities are identified in school-age children.

Description: This 7-minute story is the first in a four-part series on reading disorder. This segment describes the disorder, highlighting the discrepancy between reading ability and comprehension of language.

Questions to Consider

1. The story tries to describe the personal experience of dyslexia. How would you describe it?
2. Thomas attempts to read in this story. What did you notice when he did that?
3. What are the benefits of a learning disability?
    

What’s Behind the Stark Rise in Children’s Disabilities

Learning Objective:  7.2.b Describe how learning disorders/disabilities are identified in school-age children.

Description This 4-minute story describes a study that found a stark rise in learning and neurodevelopmental difficulties, particularly in affluent families.

Questions to Consider

1. How many children are disabled today?  What types of disorders are increasing or decreasing?
2. Why might diagnosis of these disorders be increasing more in affluent families?
3. Given these differences between more and less affluent families, what recommendations might you have for providers?

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Video Resources

Parent Video: Treating Childhood ADHD

Learning Objective: 8.3 Evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of medication and psychosocial therapy for the treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Description: In this 13-minute video Dr. William Pelham discusses how to identify ADHD and evidenced-based treatments for ADHD.

Questions to Consider

1. How do we identify ADHD in children?
2. What do we know about the causes of ADHD?
3. Describe evidence-based treatment of ADHD. What is the parent’s role in this treatment?
    

More Than 1 in 7 American Kids Diagnosed with ADHD

Learning Objective: 8.1 Describe the key features of ADHD and how the signs and symptoms of this disorder vary from early childhood through adulthood.

Description: In this 6-minute story, Alan Schwarz talks about the problems of both overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of ADHD.

Questions to Consider

1. According to Schwarz, what is the current problem with the diagnosis of ADHD?
2. Why do we need to consider the marketing side of this diagnosis in addition to the psychological side?
3. Schwarz is attempting to bridge two sides of this issue. What is your take on his point of view?
    

Parents Cannot Cope with Son’s ADHD

Learning Objective: 8.2 Identify problems associated with ADHD and how these problems vary as a function of children’s age and gender.

Description: This 3 ½-minute clip from Supernanny highlights the interaction between the family environment and the diagnosis.

Questions to Consider

1. The clip opens with the family outside. What did you observe about their interactions?
2. How does the father view his son’s ADHD?
3. Given what you have read in the book, what next steps would you suggest for this family?
    

Audio Resources

Study: Brains in ADHD Kids Mature Later

Learning Objective: 8.2 Discuss some of the main causes of ADHD and differentiate among the three neural pathways that underlie the disorder.

Description: This 4-minute story describes a research study of 400 children that identified a pattern of immaturity in the brains of those with ADHD.

Questions to Consider

1. What were the results of the study?
2. Why had no one noticed this before?
3. What are the implications of this research?
    

Tracking a Rise in ADHD Diagnosis

Learning Objective: 8.1 Describe the key features of ADHD and how the signs and symptoms of this disorder vary from early childhood through adulthood.

Description: This 10-minute clip from Science Friday considers why rates of diagnosis have been increasing dramatically.

Questions to Consider

1. Dr. Graf offers several reasons for the recent increase. What are these?
2. What are some challenges to getting accurate diagnosis of ADHD?
3. What are the implications of this increase? Dr. Graf mentions that we should be having a national discussion about this. What should be considered?

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Video Resources

The Kazdin Method of Parenting

Learning Objective: 9.3 Describe and give examples of evidence-based psychosocial treatments for childhood conduct problems.

Description: In this 9-minute video, Dr. Alan Kazdin describes the origins of defiant behavior and provides practical steps for assisting parents to decrease defiant behavior in children.

Questions to Consider

1. How do children learn to be defiant?
2. Describe parent management training.
3. How effective is parent management training?
    

The Boy They Call Chucky

Learning Objective 9.1 Describe the key features of Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder.

Description: This 47-minute documentary follows a family struggling with a child with Conduct Disorder and ADHD. Some of the scenes in this video are quite intense.

Questions to Consider

1. What symptoms of conduct disorder does Christian demonstrate?
2. Describe the family’s journey to find appropriate treatment.
3. What is the relationship between his family and his experience? How do they influence each other?
    

Haunted by Columbine: Retro Report Documentary

Learning Objective: 9.2 Discuss some of the main causes of children’s conduct problems across genetic, biological, psychological, familial, and social-cultural levels of analysis.

Description: This 12-minute story from the New York Times talks about the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy and how we understand school shootings today.

Questions to Consider

1. What misunderstandings are common about the Columbine shooting?
2. How can understanding these misunderstandings help us intervene with children and prevent these events in the future?
    

Audio Resources

“Burning Down the House” Makes the Case against Juvenile Incarceration

Learning Objective: 9.2 Discuss some of the main causes of children’s conduct problems across genetic, biological, psychological, familial, and social-cultural levels of analysis.

Description: This 37-minute Fresh Air interview addresses how we should treat children and adolescents who have committed crimes, many of whom have Conduct Disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. According to the book’s author, what is the biggest predictor of adult incarceration? Why might that be?
2. What should be the role of treatment in juvenile facilities?
3. What do the evidence-based programs do that is different from other facilities?
    

Why Preschool Suspensions Still Happen (And How to Stop Them)?

Learning Objective: 9.2 Discuss some of the main causes of children’s conduct problems across genetic, biological, psychological, familial, and social-cultural levels of analysis.           

Description: This 4-minute clip describes causes and solutions for preschool suspensions.

Questions to Consider

1. Why is it important to not suspend children in preschool?
2. Clearly, the children who are suspended from preschool are children who are at high risk for ODD or CD. How would you more effectively deal with children who have these problems at this young age?
3. What are the roles of race and gender in this issue?

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Video Resources

Teen Discussion on Drug Abuse and Addiction with Dr. Volkow

Learning Objective: 10.1 Describe the key features of substance use disorders in adolescents and explain how adolescent substance use differs from adult substance use.

Description: In this 9-minute video, Dr. Nora Volkow, the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, meets with 100 teenagers to answer questions and get their perspective on drug abuse.

Questions to Consider

1. What types of questions did the teens ask? What concerns do these questions indicate?
2. How does marijuana affect learning?
3. How does Dr. Volkow describe having multiple addictions at one time?
    

Evidence-Based Interventions for Adolescents with Substance Abuse Problems

Learning Objective: 10.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent substance use problems in adolescents.

Description: This 69-minute presentation by Dr. Ken Winter addresses developmental issues in adolescent substance abuse and the efficacy of treatment for it.

Questions to Consider

1. What are the most commonly abused substances by adolescents? How commonly abused are prescription medications?
2. Describe the features of typical adolescent development that increase the risk of substance abuse in that age group?
3. What are some unique challenges for adolescents in recovery?
4. What interventions have the most empirical support?
    

Teen Girls and Binge Drinking

Learning Objective: 10.1.b Determine the prevalence of adolescent substance use, substance use problems, and substance use disorders.

Description: This 6-minute story from ABC News discusses the rise in prevalence of binge drinking in girls.

Questions to Consider

1. According to the interviewed girls, why does binge drinking occur?
2. What has research shown about gender differences in drinking?
    

Audio Resources

An Inside Look at Teens Battling Substance Abuse

Learning Objective: 10.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent substance use problems in adolescents.

Description: This 16-minute story interviews a 16-year-old girl who has been sober for 2 years to discuss her addiction and her treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. How did Lana begin drinking?
2. Describe Lana’s treatment and recovery.
3. How do people not in recovery relate to Lana? How might this affect recovery?
    

With Spike in Teen Drug Use, Parents Examine Their Role

Learning Objective: 10.2 Evaluate three major pathways for the development of substance use disorders in adolescents.

Description: This 10-minute clip examines parents’ role in attitude toward and use of substances.

Questions to Consider

1. Discuss parents’ struggle to decide how much to tell their children about their own substance use.
2. What are the issues involved in how parents should address the issue of legalized marijuana use with teens and children?

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Video Resources

Curing Kids with Extreme Social Phobias

Learning Objective: 11.3 Show how behavioral and cognitive interventions are used to treat pediatric anxiety and OCD.

Description: This 6-minute video discusses the treatment of selective mutism and extreme social phobia through exposure therapy.

Questions to Consider

1. The video shows two children with selective mutism. What symptoms do they show at the beginning and end of the video?
2. Describe the Brave Buddies approach.
3. How does the Brave Buddies technique fit with what you know about behavioral interventions for anxiety disorders?
    

OCD: The War Inside

Learning Objective: 11.2 Describe the key features of OCD in children and adolescents, its primary causes, and related conditions.

Description: This 70-minute documentary from the National Film Board of Canada explores daily life in children and adults who have OCD.

Questions to Consider

1. What similarities do you see across the experiences of these individuals?
2. Describe the treatments that these children have received. How effective has that been?
3. What is the long-term outlook for the children in this video?
    

Parent Video: School Refusal Behavior

Learning Objective: 11.1 Describe key features of the DSM-5 anxiety disorders and show how children might manifest these disorders differently across childhood and adolescence.

Identify and give examples of some of the major causes of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.

Description: In this 12-minute video, Dr. Anne Marie Albano of Columbia University discusses the characteristics and treatment of school refusal behavior.

Questions to Consider

1. How do you know if school refusal behavior has risen to a point where you should be concerned?
2. What prevents parents from helping effectively? What steps should parents take?
3. How does school refusal develop?
    

Audio Resources

Anxious Parents Can Learn How to Reduce Anxiety in Their Kids

Learning Objective: 11.1.b Identify and give examples of some of the major causes of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.

Description: This 8-minute story discusses research showing a link between parent and child anxiety and how parents can help their children learn to be less anxious.

Questions to Consider

1. How did Hannah Cummings affect Noah’s anxiety?
2. Describe Noah’s cognitive behavioral therapy experience.
3. How did treatment affect the parents’ interactions with Noah?
    

For Kids, Anxiety about School Can Feel Like “Being Chased by a Lion”

Learning Objective: 11.1 Describe key features of the DSM-5 anxiety disorders and show how children might manifest these disorders differently across childhood and adolescence.

Description: This 6-minute clip describes the experience of a boy struggling with severe anxiety and his school, which is designed to help students with anxiety.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe Jared’s anxiety. What symptoms does he experience?
2. Describe the Aspire program. What are its goals? How does it work to achieve those?

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Video Resources

What Caring for Child with RAD Was Like for State Rep., Wife

Learning Objective: 12.1 Differentiate between Reactive Attachment Disorder and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder in terms of their key features, causes, and treatment.

Description: This 7 1/2-minute ABC News video describes the experience of taking in a sexually abused child with RAD.

Questions to Consider

1. What did the family expect going into this situation?
2. What were the early signs of RAD that the family witnessed? What then happened?
3. How was their experience similar to other families’ experiences?
    

Note: This is the second part of the story. To see the first half of this story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbQp9HOItvo

The PTSD Brains of Children and Soldiers

Learning Objective: 12.1 Describe the key features of PTSD in children and adolescents and show how the signs and symptoms of this disorder vary as a function of children’s age and exposure to trauma.

Description: This 2-minute video describes research comparing changes in brain functioning in children and soldiers who have experienced trauma.

Questions to Consider

1. How are trauma and long-term psychological problems related?
2. What patterns of brain functioning did the researchers find?
3. What are the implications of these results?
    

What Recovery Looks Like for a Sexual Abuse Survivor in Jamaica

Learning Objective: 12.3 List and give examples of the four main types of child maltreatment. Describe the potential consequences of child maltreatment and evidence-based treatments.

Description: In this 3 1/2-minute video from UNICEF, a young woman describes the aftermath of being raped as a child.

Questions to Consider

1. What was the immediate consequence of her sexual abuse?
2. What has happened to her since then? How has she recovered?
3. What is she doing now?
4. What does her experience in Jamaica tell us about sexual abuse recovery everywhere?
    

What I’ve Been Through is Not Who I Am

Learning Objective: 12.3 List and give examples of the four main types of child maltreatment. Describe the potential consequences of child maltreatment and evidence-based treatments.

Description: This 20-minute documentary from ECPAT (an organization dedicated to ending sexual exploitation), discusses the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe what happened to Katrina.
2. How did she move from victim to survivor?
3. Why is legislative reform necessary to help in the treatment of this form of child sexual abuse?
    

Audio Resources

Syria’s War Leaves Its Scars on the Children

Learning Objective: 12.1 Describe the key features of PTSD in children and adolescents and show how the signs and symptoms of this disorder vary as a function of children’s age and exposure to trauma.

Description: This 6-minute story discusses the consequences of trauma from the Syrian war on children.

Questions to Consider

1. What symptoms of PTSD do the children in the story demonstrate?
2. What may be the consequences of the war on children in the long-term?
3. How can this school help the children?
    

When the Legal System Disappoints a Victim of Child Sex Abuse

Learning Objective: 12.3 List and give examples of the four main types of child maltreatment. Describe the potential consequences of child maltreatment and evidence-based treatments.

Description: This 5-minute clip describes how difficult it can be to prosecute child sexual abuse cases.

Questions to Consider

1. Why is it so difficult to study how child sexual abuse cases are handled?
2. What inspired Tennessee Watson to investigate this?

This is discussed in more depth in a 51-minute program: https://soundcloud.com/thisisreveal/dropped-and-dismissed-child-sex-abuse-lost-in-the-system

Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Video Resources

‘Suicide Cluster’ in Palo Alto: Students Share Stories of Anxiety, Depression

Learning Objective: 12.1 Differentiate between Reactive Attachment Disorder and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder in terms of their key features, causes, and treatment.

Description: This 7-minute ABC News video describes a group of suicides in Palo Alto. Several teens talk about the pressure they feel in the town.

Questions to Consider

1. What is a suicide cluster? What groups are most vulnerable?
2. Describe the suicide contagion in Palo Alto?
3. What common factors do you hear among the teens?
4. What can high schools do to help?
    

Why We Need to Talk about Depression

Learning Objective: 13.2 Describe the key features of Major Depressive Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder and show how children might manifest these disorders differently than adults.

Analyze the major causes of depressive disorders in children and adolescents ranging from genetic-biological factors to social-cultural influences.

Evaluate the efficacy and safety of medication, psychosocial therapy, and combined treatment for youths with depressive disorders.

Description: In this 11-minute TED Talk, Kevin Breel discusses his struggle with depression in high school.

Questions to Consider

1. How is depression different from feeling sad?
2. What does Kevin mean about living two different lives?
3. How does stigma prevent people from getting help?
    

Irritability in Children: Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

Learning Objective: 13.1 Describe the key features of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) and differentiate DMDD from other conditions affecting young children.

Description: In this brief 2-minute clip, Dr. Ellen Leibenluft describes the history of the diagnosis of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. Why was bipolar disorder increasing among children? Why was this controversial?
2. What happened to irritable children who were diagnosed with bipoloar disorder when they grew up?
3. How did that lead to DMDD?
    

What I’ve Been Through is Not Who I Am

Learning Objective: 12.3 List and give examples of the four main types of child maltreatment. Describe the potential consequences of child maltreatment and evidence-based treatments.

Description: This 20-minute documentary from ECPAT (an organization dedicated to ending sexual exploitation), discusses the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe what happened to Katrina.
2. How did she move from victim to survivor?
3. Why is legislative reform necessary to help in the treatment of this form of child sexual abuse?
    

Audio Resources

Depressed Teen’s Struggle to Find Mental Health Care in Rural California

Learning Objective: 13.2 Describe the key features of Major Depressive Disorder and Persistent Depressive Disorder and show how children might manifest these disorders differently than adults.

Description: This 4-minute video tells the story of one teen who attempted suicide and then had a difficult time finding appropriate care.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe the process of getting help for Shariah.
2. Why is it easier to deny insurance for mental health?
3. Why do you think there was a tension between the evidence-based standards and what the family of this girl was requesting?
    

Warnings Against Antidepressants for Teens May Have Backfired

Learning Objective: 13.2.b Evaluate the efficacy and safety of medication, psychosocial therapy, and combined treatment for youths with depressive disorders.

Description: This 4-minute clip discusses the aftermath of placing black box warnings on SSRIs to treat adolescent depression.

Questions to Consider

1. Why were black box warnings placed on SSRIs? What was the research to back this up?
2. What happened to suicide attempts following these warnings?
3. What is an appropriate next step to resolve this?

Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Video Resources

Young Schizophrenic at Her Mind’s Mercy

Learning Objective: 14.2 Describe the key features of Schizophrenia and show how children might display the signs and symptoms of this disorder differently than adults.

Description: This 8-minute video from the Los Angeles Times describes a young girl struggling with schizophrenia.

Questions to Consider

1. Why were Jani’s parents originally concerned? How was she diagnosed?
2. How is Jani being treated for schizophrenia?
3. What symptoms does Jani demonstrate?
    

Non-Medication Treatment of Child and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder

Learning Objective: 14.1.c Evaluate the effectiveness of medication and psychotherapy for preventing and treating bipolar disorders in youths.

Description: In this 4-minute video, Dr. Mary Fristad of Ohio State University discusses the benefits of non-medication interventions for bipolar disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. Why do we not have treatment recommendations for non-medication treatments?
2. What types of interventions does Dr. Fristad discuss? What are the “active ingredients”?
3. Why is it important to name the disorder?
    

Schizophrenia Gene Discovery Sheds Light on Possible Cause

Learning Objective: 14.2.b Outline the neurodevelopmental model for Schizophrenia in children and adolescents.

Description: In this 4-minute clip, Dr. Steven McCarroll describes new research that has identified one specific gene implicated in schizophrenia.

Questions to Consider

1. What is new in this research into the causes of schizophrenia?
2. What is the role of the gene that has been implicated in schizophrenia?
3. What are the implications for treatment of the disorder?
    

Audio Resources

Halting Schizophrenia before It Starts

Learning Objective: 14.2.c Describe effective medications and psychosocial treatments to prevent or manage schizophrenia in children and adolescents.

Description: This 9-minute story discusses research that on interventions to halt the progression of schizophrenia among those who are beginning to show symptoms.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe Meghan’s mental health journey.
2. What are the early interventions for prodromal schizophrenia? How effective are these?
3. Why is it so difficult to diagnose schizophrenia in teens? What implications does this have for the prescription of antipsychotics?
    

Tips for Parenting a Child with Bipolar Disorder

Learning Objective: 14.1.c Evaluate the effectiveness of medication and psychotherapy for preventing and treating bipolar disorders in youths.

Description: In this 18-minute clip interview, Dr. Ellen Leibenluft, Dr. Carl Bell, author, and mother of a child with bipolar disorder Cassandra Joubert offer advice for parenting children with bipolar disorder.

Questions to Consider

1. How was Maya’s disorder recognized as bipolar disorder?
2. What role does stigma play in parents having kids assessed and diagnosed with bipolar disorder?
3. What advice do these experts have for parents of children with this diagnosis?

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Video Resources

Extremely Picky Eater Fears food

Learning Objective: 15.1 Differentiate among the most common feeding disorders affecting infants and young children. Identify the main causes of feeding disorders and provide examples of evidence-based treatments for these problems.

Description: This 7-minute video from ABC News follows a young girl in treatment for her food neophobia.

Questions to Consider

1. How can we distinguish between normal picky eating and disordered picky eating?
2. Describe the treatment that Erin receives. How do the parents support this treatment?
3. What progress do you see at the end of the clip?
    

9 Eating Disorders Myths Busted

Learning Objective: 15.2 Differentiate among Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder. Explain how eating disorders vary as a function of age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Description: This is not one video, but a series of very brief clips by Dr. Cynthia Bulik. Each one addresses a common myth about eating disorders.

Questions to Consider

1. Prior to watching these clips, did you believe any of these myths? Why or why not?
2. Why are we so quick to blame families, mothers, and society?
3. Are eating disorders for life? Are people in recovery for life?
    

Perfect Illusions

Learning Objective: 14.2.b Outline the neurodevelopmental model for Schizophrenia in children and adolescents.

Description: This documentary follows four young women with anorexia nervosa or bulimia, examining causes, struggles, and treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. The four girls/women in this video experience different outcomes. What factors do you think account for that?
2. In each case, the parents seem genuinely surprised that their daughters have an eating disorder. Why do you think this may be?
3. Based on what you have seen here, what recommendations do you have for treatment or prevention?
    

Audio Resources

For Boys with Eating Disorders, Finding Treatment Can Be Hard

Learning Objective: 15.2.d Critically evaluate inpatient and outpatient treatment programs for adolescents with eating disorders.

Description: This 9-minute story tells the story of a 12-year-old boy with an bulimia nervosa and this parents’ struggle to find appropriate treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. What were Jonathan’s symptoms?
2. How is the experience of boys different than girls?
3. Describe Jonathan’s treatment program. Why did he not feel like he fit in?
4. How has Collin helped Jonathan? What are the implications of this relationship for the treatment of other boys?
    

Struggling to Overcome Anorexia

Learning Objective: 15.2 Differentiate among Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder.

Description: In this 3 ½- minute Youth Radio clip, 16-year-old Lauryn Silverman tells the story of her struggle with anorexia nervosa that began when she was 13.

Questions to Consider

1. How does Lauryn understand the origin of her diagnosis?
2. Describe Lauryn’s treatment for anorexia.
3. What do you think made the difference for Lauryn in her recovery?
    

When a Child’s Picky Eating Becomes More than a Nuisance

Learning Objective: 15.1 Differentiate among the most common feeding disorders affecting infants and young children. Identify the main causes of feeding disorders and provide examples of evidence-based treatments for these problems.

Description: In this 2 ½-minute story, Dr. Nancy Zucker of the Duke University Center for Eating Disorder discusses a research study linking picky eating and other mental health diagnoses.

Questions to Consider

1. The study examined children between the ages of 2 and 6. What did the research show?
2. What are the signs of extreme picky eating?
3. What are the potential implications of this research?

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Video Resources

Sleep Disorders: Kids that Go Bump in the Night

Learning Objective: 16.2.c Give examples of other sleep-wake disorders that affect children and adolescents.

Description: This 5 1/2-minute video from HLN describes several different sleep disorders and their treatment.

Questions to Consider

1. What are some of the consequences of poor sleep quality?
2. What interventions may help improve sleep quality?
    

Night Terrors: How to Identify and What to Do

Learning Objective: 16.2.c Give examples of other sleep-wake disorders that affect children and adolescents.

Description: This 5-minute video describes the experience of night terrors and how to cope with these.

Questions to Consider

1. Why might night terrors be confused with bad behavior?
2. How are night terrors different from nightmares?
3. How should parents address night terrors?
    

Helping a Child Cope with a Long Hospitalization

Learning Objective: 16.3 Define the field of pediatric psychology and illustrate some of the major professional activities of pediatric psychologists.

Description: This 4-minute video is designed for parents anticipating a hospitalization for their child, but it provides a good introduction to the work of pediatric psychologists.

Questions to Consider

1. What should parents expect with a long hospitalization?
2. What is the role of the pediatric psychologists in a long hospitalization?
3. How should parents parent their child when the child is sick?
    

Audio Resources

Lack of Sleep, Genes Can Get Sleepwalkers Up and About

Learning Objective: 16.2.c Give examples of other sleep-wake disorders that affect children and adolescents.

Description: This 4 1/2-minute story examines what is known and unknown about the causes of sleepwalking and tells the story of a girl who sleepwalks chronically.

Questions to Consider

1. How many children sleepwalk? Should parents be concerned?
2. What do we know about the causes of sleepwalking?
3. What should parents do for children who sleepwalk?
    

To Control Asthma, Start with the Home Instead of the Child

Learning Objective: 16.3.b Show how pediatric psychologists help youths with chronic medical problems.

Description: This 4-minute clip addresses the role of the environment in asthmatic crises.

Questions to Consider

1. List some environmental triggers of asthma attacks.
2. How can community initiatives improve asthma control?
3. One of the challenges with asthma is compliance with recommendations. What role do you think that pediatric psychologists can play in this area?