Police: Purdue Prof Specializing in ‘Positive Emotions’ Beat Wife While Son Was Locked in Dog Cage

A clinical assistant professor of educational psychology in the College of Education at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, who specializes in “positive emotions” was placed on paid administrative leave after police arrested him for allegedly locking his son in a dog crate and beating his wife.

Purdue spokesperson Tim Doty said in a Monday email that assistant professor John Froiland was placed on paid administrative leave after allegedly beating his wife with the leg of a chair while his son was locked in a dog cage, according to a report by the school’s student newspaper the Exponent.

Last week Froiland was arrested on preliminary charges of domestic battery, intimidation, interference in reporting a crime, neglect of a dependent, and criminal confinement, the report added.

The 48-year-old clinical assistant professor — who specializes in “positive emotions” and “parent involvement” — allegedly beat his wife in front of a 10-year-old boy, who was locked in the cage. The student newspaper later identified the boy as Froiland’s son.

Police said Froiland confronted his wife at around 4:30 p.m. last week after she returned home from a shopping trip. The professor was reportedly upset that he did not know where his wife had been all day, so he grabbed her and held her against the wall, his wife told police.

Froiland then allegedly put his young son into a dog crate. He then broke off the leg of a wooden rocking chair and allegedly struck his wife with it across both arms in front of the child. Froiland also allegedly took her phone so that she couldn’t call the police.

A responding officer reported purple and red bruising and welts covering the victim’s arms when he arrived at the home, police said.

Froiland was subsequently booked into the Tippecanoe County Jail, from where he has since been released on a $500 bond.

The professor “studies parental autonomy and relatedness support, parent involvement from preschool to high school, teacher-student relationships, intrinsic motivation to learn, student engagement, happiness, and positive psychology interventions,” according to his biography on Purdue’s website.

“He has developed an intervention that strengthens autonomy supportive parent-child communication, positive emotions toward learning, and intrinsic motivation to learn among elementary school students,” his biography continues.

“He has also developed a comprehensive positive psychology intervention that supports the development of lifetime gratitude and positive emotions toward learning among college students,” the biography adds.

Doty did not immediately respond when asked how long Froiland will be on leave, reports the Exponent.

Correction:  A previous version of this story indicated John Froiland is a psychology professor.  It was corrected to reflect that he is a clinical assistant professor in educational psychology in the College of  Education, Purdue University.

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