Customer Reviews

The Maltreated Child: Finding What Lurks Beneath

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As parents of difficult children know, understanding what is really causing the out-of-control behavior of your child is the only way to begin to truly help them. In this book, Dr. Gray says we all too often just look at the tip of the iceberg - when the bulk of the problems lie underneath the surface. That is why many of the medications and treatments, which sound so promising, fail to work over the long-haul. The author explains to parents how to get to the root causes. The book is detailed with chapters on ADHD, Bipolar, Borderline, RAD, etc., but it is structured in such a way that it is easy to find the information you are looking for. Dr. Gray uses humor and a friendly style to make the book understandable and fun to read.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and school counselors who have children needing help. You no longer have to have a Ph.D. to understand the world of neuropsychology; The Maltreated Child explains it all clearly. In addition there is a great glossary and abbreviation dictionary at the back of the book so you can decipher the mumbo-gumbo you hear in most clinician's offices. This book contains a gold mine of information.

The author heavily promotes bogus diagnostic tests, treatment and parenting. He is a proponent of what is currently called "Attachment Therapy" (aka Rage Reduction, Holding Therapy, Compression Therapy, etc.). This therapy has been denounced as abusive by the APSAC and the APA's Division on Child Maltreatment (2006). Numerous criminal child abuse and death cases have involved this therapy and its brutal parenting methods (aka Nancy/Beth Thomas parenting).

The author promotes several bogus tests. For instance, he calls the Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire (RADQ) the best test for diagnosing "Reactive Attachment Disorder." He should say "Attachment Disorder" which is a totally different and unrecognized diagnosis. The RADQ is blatantly idiotic on the surface of it, though it has also been evaluated in peer-reviewed journals as totally worthless for diagnosing anything. Elizabeth Randolph herself had her psychology license revoked in California.

Additionally, the language the author uses to describe children and their problems (e.g. "muck") is disturbingly disrespectful.

The author has long been associated with the Attachment Center at Evergreen (now known as the Institute for Attachment and Child Development). I happened to hear the author speak some years ago, at which time he used the ancient "four humors" theory (a theory finally abandoned in the 19th century) to describe the personalities of children: this theory contends that black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood determined the workings of the human body.

In short, this book is worse than worthless. It is potentially harmful to parents and especially their children.