State fines psychologist Peter Oas; advocated corporal punishment of child

November 13, 2013

On November 5, 2013, the Florida Board of Psychology issued psychologist Peter T. Oas and a letter of concern and also fined him $1,500. The Board’s document states that Oas treated a minor male from approximately May 2009 through approximately August 2011 and during that time, he advised the child’s parents to use corporal punishment as a means of controlling and altering the child’s behavioral. Additionally, at one point, he requested from the parents and received permission to physically discipline the boy, which he did by “thumping” him on the head or ear. Lastly, on one or more occasions during treatment Oas advised the parents that they were not hitting the boy hard enough and asked them to demonstrate how they were spanking him so that he could instruct them and determine if the spanking was painful enough.