Within the past year, the lifestyle changes associated with the Covid-19 pandemic have caused an increase in psychological stress for many individuals. Although public health initiatives including working remotely, engaging in virtual learning, and social distancing are beneficial for reducing the spread of the virus, these measures can result in individuals feeling isolated or overwhelmed by increased demands within the home.
Children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) typically present with cognitive and/or behavioral symptoms that impact their ability to independently complete tasks including homework or chores. Given these core features of ADHD, parents often struggle with how to encourage their child’s independent functioning.
Given the challenges of virtual learning in individuals with ADHD, it is particularly important to implement strategies that will set the child up for success. First, creating an area within the home that is dedicated solely to learning will improve the child’s ability to remain focused. Given that inattention is a core feature of ADHD, reducing the potential for distractions within the learning area is crucial.
Children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often exhibit cognitive and behavioral symptoms that adversely impact their academic performance. Children with ADHD may experience difficulty with staying on task, fidgeting, poor impulse control, or emotion dysregulation that serve as barriers to their ability to learn. Given this, school-based interventions are imperative for promoting the academic performance of individuals with ADHD.
Doctors typically advise a combination of behavioral interventions, counseling and medication to address a child’s symptoms. A child who can manage the symptoms of A.D.H.D., allowing for a more successful experience in school, may reach a point when A.D.H.D. is far less of a problem. So facilitating success in school and ultimately in life may be the path to “outgrowing” the diagnosis.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in the United States. Alzheimer’s disease is an insidious illness, which progressively impacts cognitive functioning. Over the course of the disease process, an individual’s ability to participate in daily activities, including driving, managing medications, and managing finances, may also decline.
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. ADHD has a behavioral and cognitive presentation that may be similar to other conditions, including learning disorders, depression, anxiety, or impulse control disorders.
As we close this series on behavioral management for your “defiant child”, we will cover a program model that utilizes Alan Kazdin’s ABCs of parenting: Antecedent, Behavior and Consequence. The following method is a tried and true way to change and shape your child’s behavior, which will ultimately change and shape your relationships for the better. The strategy is both simple and powerful when used correctly and it works for all ages. What is this magic tool? We’re talking about a point chart.
In the first part of this series, we discussed seven different myths about parenting. With these common parenting misconceptions cleared up and out of the way, we can begin to build a more effective and stable parenting foundation with Alan Kazdin’s ABCs of parenting: Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence. Understanding and consistently implementing this method will lead to improved behavior from your children, decreased stress for you, and overall better relationships in your family. Let’s break it down:
Relentless tantrums, opposition and attitude at every request, always on the brink of the next crisis at home or in public… sound familiar? If you are among the many parents who are at their wits end parenting your “defiant child”, this next blog series is for you. Taking the wisdom from Alan Kazdin, a leading child and behavior psychologist, and his parenting guide, The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child, we will explore his tried and true, research-based parenting technique for approaching difficult children.
