https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2-Re_Fl_L4 This video is about a little girl, B
ID: 3491416 • Letter: H
Question
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2-Re_Fl_L4
This video is about a little girl, Beth Thomas, who was sexually abused until she was 19 months old. The impact on this little girl is both shocking and disturbing to watch. It is even more difficult to comprehend. After viewing this HBO documentary, one has to believe the little girl never grew up to have a normal life. Apparently she did, but not without controversy of the therapy (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. used to rehabilitate her. Questions: What was your first impression after watching this video? Would you classify Beth a psychopath or pre-psychopath? Why? Can children like Beth be rehabilitated? What does Beth Thomas' story tell us about the development of psychopathy?
Explanation / Answer
The video shows interview of Beth Thomas with her Therapist and from the video it can be concluded that she has started to show symptoms of Conduct Disorder, which is usually the precursor to Psychopathy (also referred to as Antisocial Personality) . Juvenile psychopathy are usually associated with more negative emotionality such as anger, hostility, anxiety, and depression. These behaviors that Beth is showing are often referred to as "antisocial behaviors" and is often seen as the precursor to antisocial personality disorder, which is usually not diagnosed until the individual is 18 years old.
Now how do we know that? The symptoms that she herself tells you are signs. Quoting below the complete symptoms of Conduct Disorder, for reference, according to the Diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5):
"In conduct disorder, a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior occurs in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules are violated. This manifests as the presence of at least 3 of the following 15 criteria in the past 12 months from any of the categories below, with at least one criterion present in the past 6 months:
Aggression to people and animals:
Often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others
Often initiates physical fights
Has used a weapon that can cause serious physical harm to others (eg, a bat, brick, broken bottle, knife, gun, etc)
Has been physically cruel to people
Has been physically cruel to animals
Has stolen while confronting a victim (eg, mugging, purse snatching, extortion, armed robbery)
Has forced someone into sexual activity
Destruction of property:
Has deliberately destroyed others’ property (other than by fire setting)
Deceitfulness or theft:
Has broken into someone else’s house, building, or car
Often lies to obtain goods or favors or to avoid obligations (ie, “cons” others)
Has stolen items of nontrivial value without confronting a victim (eg, shoplifting, but without breaking and entering; forgery)
Serious violations of rules:
Often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13 years
Has run away from home overnight at least twice while living in the parental or parental surrogate home, or once without returning for a lengthy period
Is often truant from school, beginning before age 13 years
The disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning. If the individual is age 18 years or older, criteria are not met for antisocial personality disorder.
With limited prosocial emotions: An individual must have displayed at least 2 of the following characteristics persistently over at least 12 months and in multiple relationships and setting. These characteristics reflect the individual’s typical pattern of interpersonal and emotional functioning over this period and not just occasional occurrences in some situations. Thus, to assess the criteria for the specifier, multiple information sources are necessary. In addition to the individual’s self-report, it is necessary to consider reports by others who have known the individual for extended periods of time (eg, parents, teachers, coworkers, extended family members, peers).
Added specifier: Specify whether there is the presence of a lack of remorse or guilt. The person does not feel bad or guilty when he or she does something wrong (exclude remorse when expressed only when caught and/or facing punishment). The individual shows a general lack of concern about the negative consequences of his or her actions. For example, the individual is not remorseful after hurting someone or does not care about the consequences of breaking rules."
Can you Rehabilitate and how?
This is a class of mental illnesses that are already traditionally considered difficult to treat. But if you try to address these issues at early stage then there can be a bit of improvement in child's condition. There are no proper tools or medicines for a cure or effective treatment. Sometimes behavior modification techniques are ineffective at modifying the behavior of affected individuals. Monitoring of children's activities and behavior is very critical.
Behavior guidelines can be establishes and be made sure to be consistent with parental monitoring (called as Behavior Reinforcement). Child can be involved in her peer activities with supervision and for every good behavior shown she can be rewarded and for non-compliance she can be very clearly communicated of the consequences. Parents should communicate and show what is an appropriate conduct and what are the behaviors acceptable with love and gentleness. Daily involve the child in playing, and day-to-day activities with parents to make them feel wanted, involved and less scared. Have a close and good communication and always try to console and comfort the child with warm, loving presence. For mood disorders and problems like aggression, medicine can be given by referring to a Psychiatrist.
Development of Psychopathy
There are many factors affecting the development of Psychopathy. There are internal factors like heredity and gene and external factors like the environment and culture. Fom the video we can conclude that the main factor for development of Psychopathy in her life is the external factor. The negelect and sexual abuse has caused her mind to be broken and harwired to think that all of this is what will happen in real life. For her this has become the meaning of life. So to cope up with that she has started showing the symptoms of Conduct Disorder (Precursor to Psychopathy) through -
Though few children who experience these factors will develop into psychopaths as other factors must also be present. It is more likely, that if a child experiences these risk factors and shows psychopathic tendencies as a child, there is a good chance they will grow up into an adult psychopath if intervention is not sought. Beth will not be diagnosed as having Psychopathy until of 18 years of age, but as she has started showing symptoms of Pre-Psychopathy if untreated she will become a maladjusted person. It will be difficult to bring Beth back to having a normal life but it is a parents job to make sure that their child gets the treatment and it is also a job of medical practitioner to do to his/her fullest ability to help the patients.
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