A very crucial part of the treatment of ADHD is behavior treatment. This involves both social and psychological therapies. More popularly known as “B-Mod” or behavior modification therapy, it also referred to as psychosocial treatment for ADHD.

Psychosocial treatment works by changing the behavior of a child or adolescent with the disorder. Studies significantly show that behavioral treatments work well for the symptoms of AD/HD, most specially when they are used with stimulant medication.

WHAT IS BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION?

Most children with ADHD have to deal with issues on academic and behavior problems in school, alongside problems with their social skills both at home and with their peers. Behavior therapy will then work for the child to resolve these issues.

Basically, behavioral therapy works both ways in that it will involve reinforcing desired behaviors through rewards and praise and at the same time decreasing problem behaviors by setting limits and consequences. To cite an example: A problem behavior of blurting out answers without raising his/her hand in class can be resolved by a teacher’s acknowledgement of the child’s taking small steps toward raising a hand before talking in class, even if the child still blurts out a comment. The main idea here is that rewarding the struggle toward change encourages the full new behavior. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that there are three basic principles to any behavior therapy approach:

SET SPECIFIC GOALS. Set clear goals for the child such as staying focused on homework for a certain time or sharing toys with friends.

PROVIDE REWARDS AND CONSEQUENCES. Give the child a specified reward (positive reinforcement) when he/she shows the desired behavior. Give the child a consequence (unwanted result or punishment) when he/she fails to meet a goal.

KEEP USING THE REWARDS AND CONSEQUENCES. Using the rewards and consequences consistently for a long time will shape the child’s behavior in a positive way. Since children with ADHD have variable symptoms, patience will play a major role with behavioral therapy. Sometimes it may look like the behavior training is not working specially when the child falls back into old patterns of his/her behavior. It has been proven however, that over time, behavioral treatment does improve the symptoms of ADHD.

GETTING STARTED

After a child is diagnosed with ADHD, the medical doctor usually recommends treatment options such as therapy and/or medication. Most parents are wary of the side effects of medication and would rather prefer their child to undergo behavior therapy. The doctor will then recommend that they see a behavioral therapist who can set up a behavioral modification program of rewards and consequences for the child at home and at school and at the same time support the parents in shaping their child’s behavior.

The information gathered by the therapist will be used for the evaluation with end in view of listing down target behaviors for treatment. The so-called “target behaviors” are the ones that need to be changed or acquired so the child gets better.

The “target areas” for treatment may not exactly be symptoms of ADHD (such as hyperactivity, inattention or impulsivity) but instead, they may deal with how these symptoms affect or cause problems in the child’s daily life (Example: playing well with brothers and sisters or obeying parent’s requests). It is important however, for parents and teachers to keenly observe the child’s response to the treatment so that appropriate adjustments could be made by the behavior therapist. As a rule, the treatment evolves as the child changes.

PARENT TRAINING

Parenting children with ADHD is atypical in that it often brings special challenges since at they may not respond well to typical parenting practices. Worth noting too is the fact that because ADHD tends to run in families, parents may also have some problems with organization and consistency themselves and need active coaching to help learn these skills.

ADHD experts therefore recommend parent education and support groups to help family members accept the child’s diagnosis and to teach parents how to help their children organize their environment, develop problem-solving skills, and cope with frustrations. This training can also teach parents to effectively and appropriately respond to a child’s most trying behaviors with calm disciplining techniques. Studies have shown that parent training yielded positive effects in children with ADHD. Among others, it shows that parent training can contribute to the reduction of ADHD symptoms (attention deficits, hyperactivity and impulsiveness), behavioral problems (such as disobedience and rebellious behavior) and parental stress.

SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING

Social skills training helps the child to develop better ways to play and work with other children. Here, the therapist discusses and models appropriate behaviors important in developing and maintaining social relationships, like waiting for a turn, sharing toys, asking for help, or responding to teasing, then gives children a chance to practice. It works on the premise that most children with ADHD may seem “dense” or “not skilled” at reading social cues, which are communicated by facial expressions,
tone of voice, and body language. A social skills group teaches children how to “read” others’ reactions and how to behave more acceptably and respond appropriately. However, the impulsivity of children with ADHD may pose a problem and they may have some trouble applying what they know about social skills to the real world.

EDUCATIONAL THERAPY

The educational specialist is a kind of coach for the child focused on the school environment. In particular, the educational specialist can help the child with ADHD to − keep track of assignments; get books and papers from school to home, and vice versa; manage time so that homework gets done; take better notes; study more effectively; among others.

Treating ADHD in children often involves medical, educational, and behavioral treatments used together and psychosocial treatments are just a part it. Parents, teachers and other caregivers of the child should bear the following in mind:

• Start with goals that the child can succeed at, in small steps.
• Be consistent – even at different times of the day, in different places and with different people around.
• Use the new skills over the long haul – not just for a few months.
• Remember that teaching and learning new skills take time, and the child’s improvement will be little by little.

Treatment should be planned and carried out only after learning what individual needs each child and family have. No one treatment plan is right for everyone.