5 yr old hearing voices

Our almost 5 year old told me last night she was being bad because the voices in her head told her to do it.  She is a very bright little girl.  An angel to everyone but her parents.  She is so persistant on any issue.  She will not stay in time out and she has been known to kick and scratch us.   This is the second time I have heard her mention the voices.  Do I need to have her evaluated?  If so by who?

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

There is almost no probability that your daughter's comments indicate the presence of auditory hallucinations. The fact that her behavior in out-of-home settings is fine is an almost sure indication that she does not experience such voices. You will be on safe ground to adopt a systematic approach to managing the behavior. Take a look at Lynn Clark's book titled SOS: Help for Parents. It will offer you a sure-fire method of managing your daughter's behavior. By the way, don't abandon time out - you need to assert your authority. You may need to hold her in the time out chair; be sure you don't cede your authority to her. She's perfectly capable of better behavior, as you can see by her performance in other settings.