Been doing some compulsive internet browsing during a bout of depression. I have been looking at LGAT (Large Group Awareness Training) programs and their methods and reach.

THis led me to the truly awful discovery of the Troubled Teen Industry in the US and the abuse that youngsters undergo at private boot camps in America and beyond.

I am aghast that such brutal methods can be used on children and cause the deaths of so many teenagers without being shut down.

I would be prepared to bet that a significant proportion of those being forced into such programmes would show the diagnostic symptoms of ADHD and other psychological issues.

This industry is making inroads into the UK at the moment having been featured in a highly successful national TV documentary called "Brat Camp"

Could anyone point me in the direction of scientifically valid evidence that the confrontational/aggressive methods used in some of these facilities can alleviate the symptoms of ADHD and/or other diagnosable psychological conditions, particularly those involving neurochemical imbalance.

I would like to write to the broadcaster here (Channel 4) to point out that they are promoting a treatment type that has resulted in several deaths. The programme is uncritical and I am concerned that parents of undiagnosed ADHD children in the UK may send their kids to US establishments without realising that there are significant issues with some of these centres.

kilt

I understand what you are saying!! I can't help with any evidence but I will comment on the fact that I think these "camps for teens" is a place for parents that think they have done everything they can, and want someone else to "fix" them. I have, at times, thought about military school for my ADHD son! Out of frustration and desperation! Of course I could not actually do that!
I understand sending them to treatment facilities etc to get them help, not sure of the after effects of these camps though.
Off topic here but some similarity-Our city government is trying to start a program to get a handle on the homelessness that is getting out of control. With drs., legal counsellors, etc, they realize that these drug/alcohol addicted homeless are products of closing down "psych hospitals" and putting them out there, of course not on meds anymore! They would like to diagnose these homeless, and if needed, get them the proper meds. This sounds like a large feat, and much to be debated, but its the message, we have many homeless teens too.
Good luck in getting info to make your point to your TV station.

Just last night I told my mother I was trying to figure out a way to send the 12 year old to boarding school. I dont think I would ever be able to do it, but the thought has crossed my mind more than twice.

I don't know of an scientific evidence, but I've seen quite a bit of anecdotal evidence. I think the kids that would be "helped" the most by this are the once that were never really parented in the first place. You know, the well and true brats that have never been told "no". But with the deaths involved I can't understand why they are still open, and why there isn't some kida government oversight.

From what I've read about them most seem like terrible places. I couldn't imagine how horrible it would be if my parents had sent me to one of those...they can actually kidnap the child with the parents permission and not tell them what's going on till they're at the camp. They can also use force to make the child comply.

You'd think there would be a few around that are decent but I've only read negative things. A few are Scientology based and don't allow drug addicts any medication for withdrawal..they just give them minerals and vitamins and lock them up.

The worst thing that happens is the abuse and how these councilors with no psychological training get away with making so much money.

Yup. the kids just come out more angry.

Its not as if kids with undiagnosed ADHD get sent to these places, those with diagnosed ADHD are too. A girl with ADHD died after being restrained (sat on) by two large male "counsellors" for 30 minutes.....she was age 7.

I am still to find a piece of original research that shows that such confrontational techniques work with youngsters with ADHD and other diagnoses and yet, according to one source, around 25% of the US budget on child and adolescent mental health goes into this system.With the degree of corporate power and influence I wouldn't be surprised if a few US firms were lobbying to open in the UK, probably in Scotland...after all we have quite a problem with youth crime and a large wilderness on our doorstep.

Incidentally in Britain, the home of the traditional boarding school it is generally accepted that abuse, both physical and sexual was endemic in the system until recently. Jeremy Paxman's book on "The English" is interesting in its assessment of the motivations behind the continued use of boarding schools for children even by those who suffered abuse within them.

kilt

I been to a "boot camp" of sorts. Had nothing to do with anykind of treatment though was a hostel thing. I actually enjoyed it. But that was because I was super fit and not sleeping to me is the norm. I can see how it must have been hell for the others. Only thing that got me was my bad ability to remember names, as that was part of it.
the hostel "boot camp" continues, but I have no objection to it. It is well planned and executed, not violent with a good back up incase someone does get hurt and not really that physical. . . sort of.

Kilted,
I have been doing some research of my own as I had never heard anything negative about tough love before. TOUGHLOVE is a registered trademark of an educational parenting program with high accolades and thousands of success stories. It is NOT to be confused with using generic tough love techniques or ANY KIND of boot camps. They have not and do not refer kids to any kinds of boot camps. It is a limit setting, natural-logical consequence based parent ed. program that teaches parents a new way to react to teen misbehavior putting the problem back on the child.
I think we need to make sure the TOUGHLOVE name does not get smeared here.

Hi amypaige

I had never heard of the toughlove program before, probably because it hasn't really spread much beyond the US.

The phrase tough love on the other hand is widely used across the English speaking first world and its meaning known.

As the troubled teen industry uses the tough love phrase to describe what can amount to physical and mental abuse of children maybe the toughlove program should change its name to avoid being tarnished.

kilt

That would be such a shame as it began in 1979! Ann Landers often referred writers, readers to the program and it has a very good reputation. Hopefully people can distinguish between the two. You can read all about it on their website.

Yeah the phrase 'tough love' has been around for decades and I'm not sure why that company went with the name.

I thought it was called love and logic or something? It sounds like a good way of parenting so I hope people will be able to figure out the difference. I've learned to never overestimate most people though :)

Love and Logic and TOUGHLOVE are two different organizations. I believe they have very similar philosophys tho.

Just my two cents:
I was sent to a drug and alcohol treatment center based on Synanon back in the early '80's. It was horribly abusive, thought not so much in a physical sense. Most of the "boot camp" programs are loosely based on the Synanon concept of confrontation. I went to this place willingly, and desperatly wanting help. What I received was group verbal abuse, (sometimes lasting hours and days and weeks.) name calling and attempted sexual abuse from older clients with the promise that if I complied with their wishes, the group abuse would stop. I have never completely recovered from that nine month long experience.
One dangerous and scarey thing about these programs is that they typically employ a "blackout" period, where the person is not allowed to have any outside contact with anyone, uncluding parents. Another is the total lack of accountability, in that there is no real supervision by outside agencies of what is going on. This is a set-up for abuse. For more information, see:

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/09/how_a_cult_spawned_the_tough_love_teen_industry.ht ml

Or just google synanon boot camps.

Lost,
Were you ever able to report any of this? Do your parents realize what went on or anyone else for that matter?

There is a good book out about the for-profit "troubled teen" industry.

To me, it just sounds like a bigger bully trying to break a littler bully.

We know how that story goes: they become a more empathyless and aggressive bully (jail) or become a broken victim (mental health issues).

Either ending is a disaster.

re: #2

The ACT Model does that, Mrs. A.

Cities aren't aware of ACT (assertive community treatment), for homelessness, however.

(ACT started in the 1970s, in Wisconsin, for dealing with the same problem.)

De-institutionalization of mental hospitals was replaced by the disaster of "case management". And 9-5 case management doesn't work when your clients have no home and are constantly in crisis. They often wind up in the Emergency Department where staff are very ill trained or staffed to handle them.

Here is a link to ACT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assertive_Community_Treatment

re: 7

I bet they were undertrained too.

There is no need to sit on a 7 year old.

There is a special way of holding. (Looks like a pretzel. Hard to describe here.)

Coming from a prison town, I have read a lot of reports on inmate deaths during "restrainting", "take downs" and "cell extractions". I"ve also learned some about psych restraint procedures and seclusion.

One of the worst positions to do is to get someone face down on the ground and sit on their back. It messes up their breathing.

Some deaths are a "positional asphyxiation" too, iirc. (Sort of like above, but w/o the 200 lb guy/s sitting on you.)

They can also get too much carotid sinus massage (stim) from neck or choke holds, and pass out. (A tight necktie can do this too. Dr. X. jokes about this when his tie is too tight.)

I bet these are big factors in how these kids die. That, or "excited delirium".

amypaige,

I was so shattered when I left that place... It took me several years to even be able to talk about it, but when I finally did, no one took me seriously. I did try to talk with my parents when the "blackout" phase was over, but telephone calls were monitored. They wouldn't have believed me anyhow. It happened twenty five years ago, and most of those people are dead anyway, so there isn't really anything to report to anyone now, other than for educational purposes to prevent parents from sending thier kids to these horrible places.

re: #2

The ACT Model does that, Mrs. A.

Cities aren't aware of ACT (assertive community treatment), for homelessness, however.

(ACT started in the 1970s, in Wisconsin, for dealing with the same problem.)

De-institutionalization of mental hospitals was replaced by the disaster of "case management". And 9-5 case management doesn't work when your clients have no home and are constantly in crisis. They often wind up in the Emergency Department where staff are very ill trained or staffed to handle them.

Here is a link to ACT:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assertive_Community_Treatment
I didn't get a chance to read much of the above link, but I can say that since our province has closed most "hospitals" for mental illnesses and opened more group homes, the homeless problem in Vancouver is a nightmare. And driving down through that area is just unreal. The open drug dealing/doing etc is just disgusting! I cannot believe the amount of homeless/addicts. So sad when you see teens down there.

Here's a related thread:

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28672

Thanks High functioning. I'm glad I wasn't the only one concerned. I am however still worried that the UK often follow the US.

It would be good if the thread you found could be stickied somewhere to spread the word about what not to do to your "difficult" kid.

kilt