The Clinical Treatment of the Problem Child

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June 24, 2026

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The Clinical Treatment of the Problem Child (1939) is a book by American psychologist Carl Rogers. It is based on his experiences working with troubled children. The book explores the psychological processes of children and how they differ from adults, focusing on their development from birth to adolescence. It addresses deviations in conduct that are aggressive or disruptive and considered inappropriate for a child's age, often referred to as child behavior disorders.123

Rogers' work in this area contributed to the development of child psychiatry, a branch of medicine focused on the study and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in children. His approach emphasized a person-to-person relationship between therapist and client, where the client determines the course of treatment.41

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Carl Rogers
…University of Rochester and wrote The Clinical Treatment of the Problem Child (1939), based on his experience in working with troubled children. In 1940 he became a professor of clinical psychology at the Ohio State University, where he wrote Counseling and Psychotherapy (1942). In it Rogers suggested that clients, by…
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…University of Rochester and wrote The Clinical Treatment of the Problem Child (1939), based on his experience in working with troubled children. In 1940 he became a professor of clinical psychology at the Ohio State University, where he wrote Counseling and Psychotherapy (1942). In it Rogers suggested that clients, by…
Read More