Professional Reviews or Responses to To Train up a Child

[Boogalou]

I thought I would tap the infinite knowledge on this board of all things Michael and Debbi Pearl and TTUAC. I have been doing some more research into this book and while I can find a lot news articles and blog posts about the book I haven't been able to find anything more reputable. If anyone knows of a review of the book in anything that is officially published or any statements from professional associations I would really appreciate it.

Mostly what I am coming across are blog posts and Patheos which aren't really what I am looking for.

[anniebgood]

Have you checked reviews on Amazon?

[GenerationCedarchip]

This is from Parents magazine. Not exactly a scholarly article, but thought it might be closer to what you're looking for:

http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-ne ... le-deaths/

And here's one in Psychology Today, which includes some statements from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/si ... ne-too-far

I don't think the Academy has issued a statement like the one Am. Acad. of Pediatrics did on Ezzos and Babywise, though.

[Boogalou]

Thanks GC, that's quite helpful.

Anniebgood, unfortunately some people think that only legitimately published reviews are valid otherwise I would be all over Amazon. Some things take a long time to change.

[quiversR4hunting]

Thanks GC, that's quite helpful.

Anniebgood, unfortunately some people think that only legitimately published reviews are valid otherwise I would be all over Amazon. Some things take a long time to change.

Boogalou- since I am in grad school I just checked my Uni library on line and I don't see anything that has been peer reviewed and published. I did a search on "how to train up your child" and "Michael and Debi Pearl" I did get hits on articles but as I said, nothing peer reviewed. Have you tried google.scholar.com? I started there (since it is public to all) but I didn't get very far, a lot of articles, many not relevant. If you dig thru the list you may find something useful. Good luck!

[DowntownAbbey]

Boogalou- since I am in grad school I just checked my Uni library on line and I don't see anything that has been peer reviewed and published. I did a search on "how to train up your child" and "Michael and Debi Pearl" I did get hits on articles but as I said, nothing peer reviewed. Have you tried google.scholar.com? I started there (since it is public to all) but I didn't get very far, a lot of articles, many not relevant. If you dig thru the list you may find something useful. Good luck!

I did a similar search through my university's library using just Debi Pearl (since it's the most unique search related to this). No articles but a couple of books popped up:

• Quiverfull : inside the Christian patriarchy movement: amazon.com/Quiverfull-Inside-Christian-Patriarchy-Movement/dp/0807010731
  
• Effective child abuse investigation for the multi-disciplinary team: amazon.com/Effective-Child-Abuse-Investigation-Multi-Disciplinary/dp/1482243121 (The Pearls apparently garner a mention on page 48 according to the index)
  
• Cruel and unusual : the culture of punishment in America: amazon.com/Cruel-Unusual-Culture-Punishment-America/dp/0300111746 (This seems to discuss the Pearls a little more than the previous book)
  
• Christian fundamentalism and the culture of disenchantment: amazon.com/Christian-Fundamentalism-Culture-Disenchantment-Maltby/dp/0813933455
  
• Militant Christianity : an anthropological history: amazon.com/Militant-Christianity-An-Anthropological-History/dp/1137282444
  
• Homeschool : an American history: amazon.com/Homeschool-American-History-Milton-Gaither/dp/0230606008

[Dovenoir]

This looked promising, although I can't get through the paywall.

DESTRUCTIVE TRENDS IN ALTERNATIVE INFANT MENTAL HEALTH APPROACHES.

Source: Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice . Fall/Winter2007, Vol. 5 Issue 2, p44-58. 15p.Author(s): Mercer, Jean

[2xx1xy1JD]

I don't know of anything that specifically mentions the book by name (and they may not want to give it added publicity), but there are statements from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics that condemn corporal punishment and other harmful forms of discipline advocated by the Pearls. The AAP also talks about expectations being appropriate for the stage of development.

(Links unbroken, official AAP sites and/or professional journals)

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap ... pline.aspx

https://www.healthychildren.org/English ... nking.aspx

https://www.healthychildren.org/English ... hment.aspx

Here's the case from the Supreme Court of Canada that upheld the right of parents to use "force by way of correction", but which also drastically curtailed what could be done legally. It says that spanking under the age of 2 or over the age of 12, spanking a child who is not capable of understanding the purpose of the spanking due to disability or other factor, using anything other than an open hand, hitting anywhere on the head, hitting in anger or hitting too hard or in a way that may cause harm are prohibited. Subjecting a child to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is prohibited. The discussion of what is and is not acceptable starts at paragraph 24: https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc/doc/20 ... ultIndex=6

This Supreme Court Case upheld the trial decision, and specifically mentioned the social science evidence summarized at paragraph 17: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2 ... 22397.html

TTUAC is totally at odds with the recognized consensus of opinion among experts. It recommends that "training" be started young, before a child is capable of understanding that they are doing something wrong. It recommends the use of an object. It states that the child needs to feel pain. It often recommends spanking as a first resort, not a last resort. It seeks to not just correct misbehavior, but to condition a child to have absolute, instant obedience to an authority figure. The court cases also make it clear that a non-parent has no authority to discipline at all. Michael Pearl describes a situation where he basically ordered a father to repeatedly stop the car and spank his toddler, who was whining and cranky at 11 p.m., despite the fact that the parents, esp. the mother, were reluctant to do this: nogreaterjoy.org/articles/child-training-marathon-revisited-and-updated/

[K'Z'K]

This looked promising, although I can't get through the paywall.

DESTRUCTIVE TRENDS IN ALTERNATIVE INFANT MENTAL HEALTH APPROACHES.

Source: Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice . Fall/Winter2007, Vol. 5 Issue 2, p44-58. 15p.Author(s): Mercer, Jean

I have the PDF (thank you large university!). It does indeed mention the Pearls. I just skimmed it to see that much, so I don't know how good it is. I can send it to anyone interested--just PM to ask.