Transcript Preventive Effects of Social-Cognitive Interventions for

Coping Power Program:
A school-based violence prevention program
Nicole Powell, Ph.D., Caroline Boxmeyer, Ph.D., & Kathy Andrews, M.A.
The University of Alabama
September 25-27, 2006
Workshop Agenda
Monday
8:20–10 a.m.
10–10:15 a.m.
10:15– Noon
Noon–1 p.m.
1–3:05 p.m.
Etiology and Treatment of Youth Aggression (Whole Group)
Break
Coping Power Outcome Research (Whole Group)
Lunch
(Break into 3 Groups) Child Component: Start-up and Sessions 1-6
Tuesday
8:20–10 a.m..
10–10:15 a.m.
10:15- Noon
Noon–1 p.m..
1–3:05 p.m
Child Component: 7 – 11
Break
Child Component: 12 – 21
Lunch
Child Component: 22 – 29
Wednesday
8:20–10 a.m..
10–10:15 a.m.
10:15– Noon
Noon–1 p.m.
1–3:05 p.m
Child Component: 30 – 34
Break
Parent Component: Start-up and Sessions 1 – 8
Lunch
Parent Component: 9 – 16 and Feedback Survey
What is Coping Power?
 Manualized
cognitive behavioral prevention
program
 For
late elementary and middle school students
 Can
be readily implemented by school counselors
and mental health professionals
 Demonstrated
preventive effects on delinquency &
substance use among at-risk youth (Lochman &
Wells, 2002a,b; 2003; 2004)
What is Coping Power (cont.)

Developed by John Lochman & Karen Wells

Facilitate transition to middle school and prevent delinquency
and substance abuse

Screener used to identify at-risk aggressive students (2-30%)

Full program:
34 Child group session
 16 Parent group sessions
 1:1 child meetings and teacher consultation


Abbreviated 1-year program available (24 child, 10 parent sessions)
Why does Coping Power target
aggressive children?
 An
important aspect of any prevention program is
that it targets key developmental risk factors for
the specific problem of interest
 Children’s
aggressive behavior predicts later
negative outcomes such as delinquency and
substance abuse
What is the course of aggressive
behavior in childhood?
45

40
35
30
%
25
20
Girls
Boys
15
10
5
0
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
AGE (years)
9 10 11
Frequency
of physical
aggression
steadily
decreases
from age 2
to 12
(Tremblay &
LeMarquand,
2001)
Is aggressive behavior a stable
behavior pattern?
Aggression
Chronic
Hi Desist
Mod Desist
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
6
10
11
12
Age
13
14
15
Low

Subgroup of
chronic
aggressive
children are at
risk of most
physical
violence
during
adolescence
(Nagin & Tremblay,
1999)
Does children’s aggressive behavior
predict later negative outcomes?

School problems and school failure
 Substance use
 Delinquency
100
Percent
80
60
40
20
0
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Cumulative Age of Onset of Serious Delinquency
(Loeber & Farrington, 1998)
18
Summary of Stability and Predictive
Utility of Children’s Aggression

Although absolute rates of aggressive behavior decline in
normative samples after age 2, aggressive behavior remains a
stable individual difference variable from age 2 through the
early childhood years
 Aggressive behavior during early childhood predicts
adolescent delinquency, substance use, and school problems
 Thus, preventive interventions can target high risk aggressive
children, and, from a prevention science perspective, these
interventions should address the malleable risk factors that
produce and maintain children’s aggressive behavior
Risk Factors on the Developmental
Trajectory for Aggressive Behavior
(e.g., Coie & Dodge, 1998; Hawkins, Catalano & Miller, 1992;
Loeber & Farrington, 2001; Pennington, 2002)
 Child
Factors: biology and temperament
 Family Context
 Neighborhood Context
 Peer Context
 Later Emerging Child Factors: social cognitive
processes and emotional regulation
Contextual Social Cognitive Model
Community Context
Neighborhood Problem
Family Context
Maternal Depression
Low Social Support
Marital Conflict
Low SES
Proximal
Aggressive
Behavior
Parenting
Practices
Context
Child Social
Cognition
and Self
Regulation
Substance
Abuse
Delinquency
Child's
Perception
of Peer
Context
Academic
Failure
Parenting Context
Children’s aggression has been linked to (e.g. Patterson, Capaldi & Dishion,
1992; Shaw et al, 1994):
1. Nonresponsive parenting at age 1, with pacing and consistency
of parent responses not meeting children’s needs
2. Coercive, escalating cycles of harsh parental nattering and
child noncompliance, starting in the toddler years, especially
for children with difficult temperaments
3. Harsh, inconsistent discipline
4. Unclear directions and commands
5. Lack of warmth and involvement
6. Lack of parental supervision and monitoring, as children
approach adolescence
Social Cognitive Processes Acquired
by Aggressive Children: Stages of
Social Information Processing
(Crick & Dodge, 1994)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cue encoding
Interpretation of intent and of meaning of cue
Social goals
Generate cognitive solutions to perceived problem
Decide which solution to select, based on expected
outcomes and values for the expected outcomes
Enactment of solution
Group Activity
Sean
H
N
P
H
H
H
P
N
H
There’s a kid, Herman… he didn’t know it I took his lunch money
There’s a kid in my class named James, and he wears braces
When Kelvin was sick I took him his school work
One day…. I wish someone would break Gary’s arm so he wouldn’t hit
There’s a boy named Jeff…, and I ripped all the buttons off of his shirt
I hit my friend Donny so hard his lip started bleeding. That was funny
There’s this crippled kid at school, and I help him with his lunch tray
Yesterday Tyrone and I finished our work at the same time
There’s a kid, Jamie…I hate him so much that I wish his head would
fall off
Hostile Attribution Bias
Hostile Attributions Can be Adaptive
Social Cognitive Processes in
Aggressive Children: Appraisal Steps
(Crick & Dodge, 1994; Lochman, Whidby & FitzGerald, 2000)
1.
2.
Cue encoding difficulties, by excessively
recalling hostile social cues
Hostile attributional biases, and distorted
perceptions of self and other in peer conflict
situations
Problem-Solving Measure for Conflict
(Lochman & Lampron, 1986; Dunn, Lochman & Colder, 1997)
Story 1:
Some of Ed’s friends borrowed his soccer ball during
the lunch period, but they did not return it. When Ed
came out of school at the end of the day, the other
boys had already started playing with it again. Ed
was supposed to go right home after school, and he
wanted to have his soccer ball back // The story ends
with Ed walking home with his soccer ball. What
happens in between Ed not having his soccer ball,
and later when he walked home with it?
PSM-C
Social Problem-Solving

Number of solutions generated
 Content, or types of solutions generated
PSM-C Content Codes

Verbal Assertion
(Regular and Negative)
 Direct Action
(Regular and Negative)
 Help-seeking
 Non-confrontational

Physical Aggression
 Verbal Aggression
 Bargaining
 Compromise
PSM-C Story 1 Solutions : James (12 year old)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ed went up and act like he was fixing to play with
the soccer ball, but took the ball and walked away
with it.
He could have just took the soccer ball without
playing with them
He could have went home and next morning seen
them playing with it, and gone up to them and
taken it without asking
Next morning if it’s in the locker he could have
went in the locker and took it out
PSM-C Story 1 Solutions: David
1.
2.
(11 year old)
He told them to give him back his soccer ball so
he could go right home
Started a fight
PSM-C Story 1 Solutions: Mark (16 year old)
1.
2.
3.
They won’t let Ed have the soccer ball, right? So
went to the principal, told him the situation, he
went back to kids and told them to give Ed’s soccer
ball back. And if they messed with Ed, they would
be expelled from school. See, Ed is the kind of
person who doesn’t like violence or to fight, and
has values and stuff.
He could have went up there, say if he had a knife
or something; he could have cut one of them up
He could have come over to the school with his
mom; his mom could have got the ball back
Social Cognitive Processes in
Aggressive Children
(Crick & Dodge, 1994; Lochman, Whidby & FitzGerald, 2000)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cue encoding difficulties, by excessively recalling hostile
social cues
Hostile attributional biases, and distorted perceptions of
self and other in peer conflict situations
Non-affiliative social goals
Generate less competent problem solutions, with fewer
verbal assertion, compromise and bargaining solutions
Expect that aggressive solutions will work, and value
aggressive solutions more
Poor enactment of solutions, due to weak social skills
Outcome Expectations: Aggression can work for him
Outcome Values: Aggression can be pleasurable
Subtypes
Social Cognitive Difficulties May Vary
for Subtypes of Aggressive Children

Severely vs moderately aggressive children

Reactive vs proactive aggressive children
Emotion Regulation:
Socialization of Anger





Children’s aggressive behavior has been related to high levels
of anger (Eisenberg et al, 1994)
Anger is the emotion that people have most difficulty
controlling
Socialization of children’s anger begins with early parent-child
interactions, and continues with peers
Anger is facilitated by unsupportive parenting practices,
including harsh and avoidant reactions (Eisenberg & Fabes, 1994)
Exposure to environmental anger, such as marital discord,
increases children’s anger (e.g. Cummings et al, 1991)
Emotion Regulation: Socialization
of Anger

1.
2.
Children’s language skills can assist in fostering their selfregulation and social interaction
Aggressive children’s weak verbal abilities can make it
difficult for them to directly communicate their needs and
ideas
Among aggressive deaf children, poor communicative
competence has been directly linked to their aggressive
behavior (r=.49), and intervention focusing on anger
management and problem solving has enhanced their
communication competence (Lochman, FitzGerald, Gage, Kannaly, Whidby,
Barry, Pardini, & McElroy, 2003)
Effects of Anger-Related Processes
on Social Information Processing


Schemas and expectations, affecting encoding and interpersonal
perceptions
Threat inductions, affecting attributions
 Revenge
and dominance social goals,
affecting selection of solutions to social
problems

Automatic vs deliberate processing, affecting selection
of solutions to social problems
Social Goals and Adolescent Boys’
Problem-Solving
(Lochman, Wayland & White, 1993)
You are changing classes at school, and are hurrying
down the hall to the next class. Several guys are
standing by the wall laughing with each other, and
they are watching kids as they go by. While you’re
noticing these guys, a new kid at your school whom
you don’t know very well is coming down the hall
from the other direction, and suddenly bumps into
your shoulder hard, knocking your books to the
floor.
Social Goals and Adolescent Boys’
Problem-Solving
(Lochman, Wayland & White, 1993)
In this situation how important would these goals be
to you?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Get away from the situation as soon as possible.
Let him know who’s boss, in charge
Get back at him
Work things out and get to know him better
Social Goals and Adolescent Boys’
Problem-Solving
(Lochman, Wayland & White, 1993)
Goal
Avoidance
Dominance
Revenge
Affiliation
Aggressive
2.2
2.4a**
2.2a***
2.6a*
Nonaggressive
2.1
1.7b**
1.4b***
3.2b*
Note: Means with different superscripts are significantly different
at: *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001
Social problem solving differences were evident between
aggressive and nonaggressive boys only when their solutions for
their main goals were tested. Otherwise, they had comparable
types of solutions for each goal individually.
Social Goals: Solutions for Attaining
Dominance Goal
Solution
Aggressive
Nonaggressive
Verbal Assertion
23 %
17 %
Bargaining
3%
7%
Aggression
63 %
53 %
Other (HS, NON, DA)
10 %
18 %
X2=3.3, ns
Social Goals: Solutions for Attaining
Affiliation Goal
Solution
Aggressive
Nonaggressive
Verbal Assertion
20 %
15 %
Bargaining
50 %
57 %
Aggression
0%
0%
Other (HS, NON, DA)
30 %
28 %
X2=0.6, ns
Social Goals: Solutions for Attaining
Main Goal
Solution
Aggressive
Nonaggressive
Verbal Assertion
39 %
20 %
Bargaining
16 %
48 %
Aggression
23 %
8%
Other (HS, NON, DA)
23 %
25 %
X2=11.8, p<.01
Social Goals and Developmental
Patterns Problem Solving: Selman’s
Structural Model of Interpersonal Negotiations

Level 0 - hit, grab, fight, ignore, hide, flee, whine
[preadolescent and adolescent aggressive]
 Level 1 - one-way negotiation: assert, command, bully
[preadolescent nonaggressive; adolescent aggressive]
 Level 2 - reciprocal exchange: accommodate, barter,
reason, influence
[adolescent nonaggressive]
 Level 3 – mutual, collaborative negotiations
Automatic Processing
Automatic Processing
Automatic Processing
Effects of Deliberate vs Automatic
Processing on Problem Solving
(Lochman, Lampron & Rabiner, 1989; Rabiner, Lochman & Lampron, 1990)

When emotionally activated, children use more automatic
processing
 Aggressive children use more impulsive automatic processing
 Assessed deliberate processing with aggressive and
nonaggressive elementary school boys by requiring them to
wait 20 seconds before giving solutions to hypothetical
vignettes of social problems, and by using multiple choice
response formats
 Assessed automatic processing by requiring boys to
immediately give a solution to vignettes, and by using openmiddle response formats
Direct Action
Verbal Assertion
Effects of Deliberate vs Automatic
Processing on Problem Solving
Aggressive
Nonaggressive
80
60
40
20
0
Automatic
Deliberate
Automatic
Deliberate
80
60
40
20
0

Both aggressive and
nonaggressive boys who
use automatic processing
produce 50 % fewer verbal
assertion solutions and
three times more direct
action solutions than when
they use deliberate
processing (e.g. instructed
to wait 20 seconds before
responding)
Effects of Automatic Processing
on Problem Solving
Stimulus
Perceived Threat
Memory Bin
Response
Enactment
Direct Action
Direct Action
Verbal Assertion
Help Seeking
.
.
.
Effects of Deliberate Processing
on Problem Solving
Stimulus
Perceived Threat
Memory Bin
Direct Action
Verbal Assertion
Help Seeking
.
.
.
Response
Enactment
Verbal Assertion
Effects of Automatic Processing
on Problem Solving
Stimulus
Perceived Threat
Memory Bin
Verbal Assertion
Direct Action
Help Seeking
.
.
.
Response
Enactment
Verbal Assertion
Summary: Developmental Sequencing
of Risk Factors

As children move on escalating trajectories towards serious
adolescent conduct problems, there is a developmental stacking of
risk factors (e.g., community + temperament + parenting + peer
rejection + social cognitive deficiencies + school failure + deviant
peers) over time

Later interventions must address multiple risk factors

Thus, early preventive interventions can impact children’s
increasingly stable aggressive behavior before additional risk
factors accumulate
Coping Power
Intervention Research
Coping Power Intervention
Research Supported By:

National Institute of Drug Abuse
 Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
(SAMHSA)
 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
 US Department of Justice
Coping Power
Intervention Research

Ongoing Field Trial in 57 Alabama schools

Ongoing effectiveness study in Tuscaloosa

Studies of Anger Coping program (original child-only intervention)

2 efficacy and effectiveness studies in Durham, NC

Clinical trial in a child psychiatry outpatient clinic at Utrecht
University, the Netherlands (with children with ODD/CD).

Dissemination studies
–
–
–
–
With aggressive deaf children in a residential school in NC
After school YMCA program in Rochester, NY
School districts in Baltimore, MD, Portland, OR, and Newton, NJ
Adapted for use Puerto Rico and Spain
CSAP-funded Study of Coping
Power Indicated and Universal
Preventive Interventions
Lochman & Wells (2002) Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16, S40-S54
Indicated and Universal
Interventions

Indicated preventive interventions are targeted at
high risk individuals, such as aggressive school
children; the Coping Power Program is an
example
 Universal preventive interventions are provided to
all individuals within a certain population, such as
all fifth grade children in a school
Sample

245 moderate to high risk children, in the top 30% of
teacher-rated aggression on a screening measure
administered in the 4th grades of 17 schools
 66% male
 78% African American
 No baseline differences across conditions in sex,
ethnic status, cognitive ability, or aggression screen
score
 84% assessed at one-year follow-up, 83% assessed at
two-year follow-up
Post Intervention Effects on Proactive
and Reactive Aggressive Behavior

Coping Power produced significant
reductions in proactive aggression, but not
reactive aggression
Parent-Rated Proactive Aggressive
Behavior
Time X Indicated: F(2,416)=2.68
1.45
1.4
Proactive 1.35
Aggression
1.3
Baseline
Mid-Int
Post
1.25
1.2
Indicate
Control
Condition
Teacher-Rated Proactive Aggressive
Behavior
Time X Indicated: F(1,183)=3.02
6.2
6
5.8
5.6
Mid-Int
Post
5.4
5.2
5
4.8
Indicated
Control
Other Post Intervention Effects

Significant intervention effects also evident on
potential mediating processes such as supportive
parenting
 The combined indicated and universal
intervention condition had uniquely strong effects
on teacher-rated aggression, outcome expectations
for aggression, and children’s perceived social
and academic competence
One-Year Follow-up Outcomes for
the CSAP-funded Study
Lochman, J.E. & Wells, K.C. (in press), Behavior Therapy
Substance Use Outcome

Youth self report of use of Tobacco, Alcohol, and
Marijuana in the past month
Substance Use
Coping Power vs Control: F(1,120)=10.8, p=.001
3.7
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.3
Coping P
Control
3.2
3.1
3
2.9
2.8
Baseline
1 yr FU
Delinquency Outcome

Youth self report of theft, assault, property
destruction, fraud, and drug selling (sum score),
in the past month [This was only collected at the 1 Year
Follow-Up]
Self-Reported Delinquent Behavior
Coping Power vs Control: F(1,129)=4.30, p=.04
7.2
7
6.8
Coping P
Control
6.6
6.4
6.2
6
1 yr FU
School Behavior Outcome

Teachers’ ratings of fighting and of harming
others, from the TOCA-R
Teacher-rated Peer Aggressive
Behavior
Coping Power vs Control: F(1,80)=4.18, p=.04
6
5
4
Coping P
Control
3
2
1
0
Baseline
1 yr FU
Conclusions

Across 2 studies, Coping Power has significant outcome
effects (at 1-year f/u) on children’s substance use,
delinquent behavior, and teacher-rated aggressive and
problem behaviors
 Coping Power has stronger effects on proactive than
reactive aggression
 Intervention-produced improvements are mediated, in
part, by improvements in children’s attributions and
anger, expectations about the utility of aggression, locus
of control, and parenting behaviors
Key References

Larson, J., & Lochman, J. E. (2002). Helping School Children Cope with Anger: A CognitiveBehavioral Intervention. New York: Guilford.

Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (2002a). Contextual social-cognitive mediators and child outcome: A
test of the theoretical model in the Coping Power Program. Development and Psychopathology, 14(4),
945-967.

Lochman, J. E., & Wells, K. C. (2002b). The Coping Power Program at the middle school transition:
Universal and indicated prevention effects. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 16 (4S), S40-S54.

Lochman, J.E., & Wells, K.C. (2003). Effectiveness study of Coping Power and classroom intervention
with aggressive children: Outcomes at a one-year follow-up. Behavior Therapy, 34, 493-515.

Lochman, J.E., & Wells, K.C. (2004). The Coping Power Program for preadolescent boys and their
parents: Outcome effects at the 1-year follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology,
72(4), 571-578.

Lochman, J. E., Wells, K. C., & Murray, M (in press). The Coping Power Program: Preventive
Intervention at the Middle School Transition. In P. Tolan, J. Szapocznik, & S. Sambrano (Eds.),
Preventing substance abuse: 3 to 14. American Psychological Association: Washington, DC.
NIDA-Funded Coping Power
Field Trial Study
Research Question

How do factors such as:
– intensity of training
– organizational and student population
– characteristics of schools
– characteristics of school site staff
impact intervention outcomes, intervention
integrity, and sustained use?
Design

57 schools from 5 public school systems in WestCentral Alabama assigned to one of 3 training
conditions:
• 19 Basic Training
• 19 Intensive Training
• 19 Control
Field Trial: School Counselor Characteristics
Control
N
19
Basic CP
Training
19
Intensive CP
Training
19
Years of
Experience
8.8
9.9
11.0
% AfricanAmerican
58
53
53
Students participating in Coping
Power Field Trial

353 students assigned to intervention condition
 Participated in Coping Power groups at their
schools during latter half of 4th grade and all of 5th
grade
Field Trial: Child Characteristics
Control
Basic CP
Training
Intensive CP
Training
N
178
185
168
% Male
71
63
60
% AfricanAmerican
87
89
76
Ongoing Use of Coping Power

Survey completed by first group of school
counselors trained for NIDA-funded Coping
Power Field Trial
 12/12 counselors responded after 1 semester
 11/12 counselors responded after 1 year
Coping Power Field Trial
Ongoing Use
6 months
1 year
Used Coping Power
Child material
9/12
9/11
Used Coping Power
Parent material
4/12
5/11
Ongoing Use

Child characteristics:
– Aggressive behavior
– Academic difficulties
– Kindergarten through sixth graders

Settings:
– Individual student guidance
– Classroom wide instruction
– Small groups for targeted students
– Parenting resource
Ongoing Use

Most frequently used from Child Component:
– General Resources:
 Handouts
 Goal Sheets
 Homework Assignments
– Group Structure:
 Group Rules
 Positive Feedback
Ongoing Use

Most frequently used from Child Component (cont):
– Coping Power Topics:
 Goal-Setting material
 Strategies for Achieving School Success
 Anger Management: Anger Thermometer,
Distraction
 PICC Model (Problem Solving)
 Social Skills: Positive Qualities of Friends
Ongoing Use

Most frequently used from Parent Component:
– Academic Support at Home
– Tracking and Praising Positive Behavior
– Establishing Rules and Consequences
Ongoing Use

Changes made to the program:
– Select specific activities to fit student needs
– Use activities and worksheets but not incentive system
– Reduce content due to time constraints

Reasons for not using the materials:
– Lack of time/too many competing responsibilities
– Lack of funds
– Can’t find the materials
Adaptations

Adaptation of intervention structure:
– Extra sessions to complete videotape activity
– Covering sessions out of order – Friendship, peer
relationship activities
– Extra activities – guided imagery, extra games
– Inclusion of extra rapport-building sessions – additional
parties, field trip

Adaptation of session content:
– Changes to activities due to client characteristics –
homework during session, videotaping rather than writing
Take Home Message

Coping Power provides a theory-based framework for
intervening with students at risk for negative outcomes
including aggression, delinquency, and substance abuse.

Positive outcome effects of Coping Power are based on
close adherence to the full treatment program. However,
in practice, group leaders often adapt the program to suit
available resources (e.g., time, funding) as well as the
needs of individual students and groups of students.
Contact Information
Coping Power Program
(205) 348-6551
http://bama.ua.edu/~lochman
Developers:
John Lochman, Ph.D.
Karen Wells, Ph.D.
Trainers:
Nicole Powell, Ph.D.
Caroline Boxmeyer, Ph.D.
Kathy Andrews, M.A.
Coping Power
Child Group
Coping Power
Child Component

34 sessions
 5 to 6 children and 1 to 2 leaders per group
recommended
 Periodic 1-to-1 sessions
– Reinforce generalization of skills to other settings
– Tailor goal setting and problem-solving
– Enhance relationship with adult co-leaders

Case-centered teacher consultation
Start-up

Identify students and assign to groups
 Schedule group time
 Group meeting space
 Meet with teachers to identify behavioral goals
 Prepare needed materials (listed for each session)
 Make contact with parents to get intervention
consent, and to plan time for parent groups
Outline of Child Component Sessions






Session 1
Sessions 2-3
Session 4
Sessions 5-6
Sessions 7-10
Session 11





End of Year Review
Session 12
Session 13
Sessions 14-16
Session 17
Structure and purpose of group
Long-term and short-term goals
Organizational and study skills
Physiological arousal and feelings
Anger management training
Relaxation and overcoming barriers to
self-control
Review of year 1
Organizational and study skills review
Perspective-taking
Perspective-taking and problem solving
Outline of Child Component Sessions




Sessions 18-21
Sessions 22-24
Session 25
Sessions 26

Session 27





Session 28
Sessions 29-30
Session 31
Sessions 32-33
Session 34
(continued)
Social problem solving training
Creation of PICC videotapes
Problem solving with teachers
Social skills: making friends and being a
friend
Problem solving: group entry and peer
negotiation
Problem solving: sibling conflict
Peer pressure and refusal skills
Coping with neighborhood problems
Joining positive peer groups
Review and termination
First Session

Discuss purpose and structure of group (“What does
coping mean to you?”)

Generate group rules
 Describe point system, including “strikes”
 Group cohesion tasks (pass-the-ball; group naming task; paired
interviews; group flag)

Begin goal-setting
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component


Behavioral and personal
goal setting (Sessions 1-3)
Organizational and study
skills
 Accurate awareness feelings
related to anger and
vulnerability
 Anger management training,
including methods for selfinstruction, distraction, and
relaxation

Perspective-taking and
attribution retraining
 Social problem-solving in a
variety of situations (peer,
teacher, family)
 Resistance to peer pressure,
and focus on involvement
with non-deviant peer groups
Goal Setting
Purposes:
 Teachers (or parents) monitor children’s behaviors and
provide daily feedback to children about their classroom
(or home) behavior
 Provide weekly feedback to staff concerning the child’s
behavior
 Leads to reinforcement of children’s behavioral
improvements in their real-world settings in the
classroom, or at home
Goal Setting
Structure:
 Weekly goals are set by children in consultation with staff
and teachers.
 Goals are written on a goal sheet which is signed daily by
the teacher or other adult.
 Reward incentives are offered for meeting goals.
Goal Setting
Presentation of goal setting to children:





Define goal: “Something you work towards or
“Something you are working for.”
Goals should be defined in terms of observable
behavior.
Children should be responsible for goal sheet.
Encourage children to discuss goals with teachers.
Set out rewards for reaching weekly goals.
Goal Sheet
For:
Joan Barth
Week of:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6 / 4/ 01/
N John Lochman
N John Lochman
N
.
N John Lochman
N John Lochman
Met Goals
1-2 Days = 1 point
3-4 Days = 2 points
5 Days = 3 points
Goal:
I will keep my
hands to myself during
lunch time .
I,
Joan Barth , have chosen the above goal and am responsible for
doing my best to meet this goal and having my teacher sign this sheet
daily.
View Goal Setting Clip
Points System for Goals and Group
Behavior
Chris B.
Group
Rules
Participation
Goal
Current
Points
Total
Points
9/8
1
9/15
0
9/22
1
9/29
1
1
1
1
1
_
2
1
1
1
4
2
0
2
4
7
11



Start with easy to
moderate goals to
stimulate children’s
motivation
Provide quick, honest
feedback in group
with group rules
points
Allows for
reinforcements for
child, plus larger
group rewards for
group
Points System for Goals and Group
Behavior: Price List
ITEM
POINTS
Pencils, markers
2
University stickers
2
Matchbox cars
4
Baseball cards
8
Comic books
12
Water bottle
15
Basketball
30



Have a set of
small, changing
items to provide
quick rewards for
behavior change
Have larger
rewards to
encourage delay of
gratification
Coupons and nonmaterial incentives
are terrific
Group Reward

Offer group incentive such as pizza party
 Provides positive peer pressure to actively
participate, follow rules, return goal sheets and
homework, etc.
 Allow group to earn “slice” toward pizza party if
they earn certain portion of points possible (e.g.,
70%) each week
Goal Setting: Common Problems
for Children:
 Forgetting
to return goal sheets
 Not taking responsibility for getting
goal sheet signed
 Lacking motivation to work on goals
 Social anxiety/sense of failure
Goal Setting: Common Problems
for Teachers/Parents
 Believing
goals are inappropriate or too easy
 Not understanding the importance of
shaping new behaviors in small steps
 Feeling group members are reinforced for
negative behaviors
 Disrupting class/home tasks
Goal Setting: Problem Solutions
Reminder cards, set up a “buddy system”
 Contacts between child and leader
 Positive feedback
 Set less challenging goals
 Solicit suggestions from teachers/parents
 Encourage teacher/parent comments on goal
sheets
 Regular contact with teachers/parents
 Co-leaders review goal sheets each session

Setting Long and Short Term
Goals

Introduce the concept of setting and realizing
goals
 Help students identify goals they want to achieve
 Help students understand the importance of
setting long range goals and the steps (short-term
goals) needed to attain them
 Help students identify barriers to achieving goals
and how to overcome them
Reinforce Understanding of the
Goal Setting Process
 Videotape
depicting adults discussing steps
taken to reach their personal/professional
goals
 Have students interview a teacher, parent or
other adult about goal setting
View Goal Setting Video
Coping Power Email
[email protected]
Common Elements of
Child Group Sessions
Opening Activities
 Review goal sheets
 Recall main topics from prior session
 Review homework
Closing Activities
 Positive Feedback
 Point Check and Prize Box
 Free Time (optional)
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component

Behavioral and personal goal
setting

Organizational and
study skills (Session 4, 13)

Accurate awareness of
feelings related to anger and
vulnerability
 Anger management training,
including methods for selfinstruction, distraction, and
relaxation

Perspective-taking and
attribution retraining
 Social problem-solving in
variety of situations (peer,
teacher, family)
 Resistance to peer pressure,
and focus on involvement
with non-deviant peer groups
Strategies for Achieving Academic
Success

Importance of organizational and study skills
 Help students identify areas of strength and
weakness in school performance
 Point out the correlation between not completing
assignments and teacher conflicts
 Facilitate activities related to organizational and
study skills
 Practice newly learned skills
Organizational Skills Activities

Organize book bags
 Card game – organizing cards into categories
 Index cards – positive and negative study skills
 Leader modeled role play
 Video tape – Taming the Homework Monster
 Homework contract
Positive and Negative Study Skills
Activity

Sort cards into those useful for studying or not
 Any additional skills?
 How could children use the ideas in the “useful”
pile to learn more effectively
HOMEWORK CONTRACT
Begin with Negotiation – Work Things Out Together
The following are suggested areas where students can have input: time, place and
rules.
Ø
Decide on when and where homework will be done. Times may vary
depending on individual schedules. A daily schedule may be a helpful reminder.
Identify a place where homework will be completed.
§
Time________________________Place________________________
Ø
What materials are needed for homework completion?
Ø
What rules are in place during homework time?
Ø
What monitoring methods will be implemented during homework time?
Ø
What steps can you take to make sure your long-term projects are completed
on time?
My child and I have discussed and agreed to the following homework plan.
_______________________
__________________________
Student’s Signature
Parent’s Signature
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component

Behavioral and personal goal
setting
 Organizational and study
skills

Accurate awareness of
feelings related to anger
and vulnerability (5-6)

Anger management training,
including methods for selfinstruction, distraction, and
relaxation

Perspective-taking and
attribution retraining
 Social problem-solving in
variety of situations (peer,
teacher, family)
 Resistance to peer pressure,
and focus on involvement
with non-deviant peer groups
Different Emotional States

Brainstorm list of emotions
 Discuss what makes a person feel a certain
emotion ie., “I get scared when I enter a dark
room”.
 What triggered the emotion?
 How do I feel inside?
 What can people see?
 What are the thoughts inside my head?
Identification of Feeling States:
EMOTION = HAPPY
What People
Can See
What You Feel
Inside Your Body
Thoughts In
Your Head
Identification of Feeling States:
EMOTION = ANGRY
What People
Can See
What You Feel
Inside Your Body
Thoughts In
Your Head
Identifying Different Feeling States

Can you always tell what someone is feeling by
how they look or what they do?
 Are you always able to express your feelings?
 Are there some feelings that are easier for you to
express than others?
 Sometimes you cannot tell how someone else is
feeling or how you are feeling?
Anger Awareness:
Physiological Cues

1.
2.
3.
4.
Awareness of Signs of Anger
Facial Expression
Tone of Voice
Body Position/Movement
Internal Body States
– Increased Heart Rate, Rapid Breathing, Feeling
Flush
– Sweating Palms, Tight Muscles, Clenched Fists
View Physiological Cues of Anger
Clip
View Physiological Cues of Anger
Clip #2
Anger Awareness:
Anger Thermometer
•Using thermometers, children label own
Enraged, Furious
levels of anger, and of their triggers at
each level
•Can better problem solve at low to
Steaming Mad
Irritated, Annoyed
Frustrated
moderate levels of anger
•Use large version of thermometer on the
floor to show anger changes during roleplay activities
•Aggressive children tend to report their
anger in “on-off” terms as “angry” or
“not-angry”
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component

Behavioral and personal goal  Perspective-taking and
setting
attribution retraining
 Organizational and study skills  Social problem-solving in
variety of situations (peer,
 Accurate awareness of feelings
teacher, family)
related to anger and
vulnerability
 Resistance to peer pressure,
and focus on involvement
 Anger management
with non-deviant peer groups
training, including
methods for selfinstruction, distraction,
and relaxation (Session 7-11)
Anger Management Training
Key points and activities during sessions:
 Easier to cope with problems if we don’t feel so
angry
 How can we reduce our feelings of anger?
– Distraction, focusing attention on something else
(e.g. fun things to do later in the day)
– Deep breathing
– Self instruction or self-statements
Anger Management Training:
Sample Self-Statements

Stay calm. Just relax.
 As long as I keep my cool, I’m in control.
 What she says doesn’t matter.
 I’ll grow up, not blow up.
 It’s too bad he has to act like this.
 I don’t need to prove myself to any one
Anger Management Training:
Practice Using Self-Statements
A Sequence of Activities
Memory Game – using deck of playing cards
 Dominoes- build a tower using one hand
 Puppet Exercise – puppets tease each other
 Self-control “taunting exercise” – children in
center of circle for 30 seconds, coping with peers’
teasing (Goodwin & Mahoney, 1967)

View Self Statements Clip
Discussion Questions





What was the puppet thinking or saying to
himself/herself?
What level of anger did the puppet experience during the
teasing?
What skills did the puppet use to maintain control over
her/his anger?
Did the puppet use different coping statements for
different levels of anger?
What other feelings did the puppet experience?
Anger Management Training:
Rules for Self-Control Exercises
 Cannot
curse or swear.
 No racial comments.
 No physical contact.
 No “Your Momma…” taunts.
Anger Management Training:
Tips for Self-Control Exercises







Leaders model first
Leaders can serve as coaches in the circle
Peer buddies can serve as coaches
Prohibit certain teases/taunts which are related to triggers at
the very top of the anger thermometer (a physcial defect, etc)
Can reduce time of the role-play, when child is excessively
aroused
Can have child face away from taunters
Can have group members tease in turn, versus all at once, to
reduce arousal
What Else Can I Do?









Walk away from provocative peer
Remind self that it is not worth getting into trouble
Try to compromise with a parent
Ignore something that makes you angry
Tell an adult that someone/something is bothering you
Talk to the person who is making you feel angry
Write down how you are feeling
Express yourself through art, music or physical activity
Use anger thermometer record form
Making Good Choices Doesn’t
Always Result in Feeling Good
What then?
Play sports
Talk to a friend
Draw
Listen to music
Go for a walk
Exercise
Play a game
Play with a pet
Watch a movie
Do something nice for
someone
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component

Behavioral and personal goal  Perspective-taking and
setting
attribution retraining
(Session 12-15)
 Organizational and study skills
 Social problem-solving in
 Accurate awareness of feelings
variety of situations (peer,
related to anger and
teacher, family)
vulnerability
 Resistance to peer pressure,
 Anger management training,
and focus on involvement
including methods for selfwith non-deviant peer groups
instruction, distraction, and
relaxation
Perspective Taking

1.
2.
3.
Role-play situations in DUSO Cards, leading to
different views of same situation:
After brief role-play action, “freeze” the children
A child serving as a local TV reporter who
happened on the scene unfreezes and interviews
each child in turn about what they saw, and why
they thought it happened
Summarize the differences in perception
Why is he sitting there and not playing ?
Why is she throwing a tomato ?
Perspective Taking

1.
2.
3.
Wise Men Activity
Have participants form groups of 4-5
Select a group leader for each group
Have group leader facilitate discussion for their
group
Perspective Taking

1.
“Motive in the Hat” activity:
Identify possible reasons for a behavior (e.g. walking past other
kids inviting him to play)
2.
3.
Write them on slips of paper
Have a child select one “motive” from a hat (e.g. I need to get
home; it was an accident; doesn’t like them)
4.
5.
6.
Have the child briefly enact the motive
Have group vote on which motive they thought was present
When votes are inaccurate, discuss how it is sometimes
difficult to quickly determine the reason for another’s
behavior; goal is to move from inferred hostility to “don’t
sometimes know”
Why is he walking by and not stopping ?
Perspective Taking

1.
Teacher interview tapping teacher expectations and goals
in handling classroom issues:
Child interviews teacher about what school was like for
the teacher when she/he was in 5th grade (e.g. teacher’s favorite
teacher, and why; teacher’s memory of working with others on a class project)
2.
Child interviews teacher about what she/he most likes to
teach now, and what the teacher’s goals are when the
teacher is leading a math class (e.g. to provide useful information to all of
the students) or trying to restore order in the classroom (e.g. to
promote all students’ learning)
3.
Permits child to hear that teacher’s intentions are not to get
students in trouble, and promotes a positive interaction
between teacher and student
Audiotape of Teacher Interview
Understanding the Teacher’s
Perspective – prelude to PICC Session 25

Divide group and ask each subgroup to think of
the top 10 responses that teachers gave to: “What
do you expect from students in the classroom?”
 Importance of understanding teacher’s desires, as
a lead-in to problem-solving with a teacherstudent problem
 Can use a “Family Feud” type format
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component

Behavioral and personal goal  Perspective-taking and
setting
attribution retraining
 Organizational and study skills  Social problem-solving
in variety of situations
 Accurate awareness of feelings
(peer, teacher, family)
related to anger and
vulnerability
(Session 17-28)
 Anger management training,
 Resistance to peer pressure,
including methods for selfand focus on involvement
with non-deviant peer groups
instruction, distraction, and
relaxation
Social Problem-Solving:
The PICC Model
Problem
Identification
Choices
Consequences
Social Problem-Solving:
The PICC Model
Problem Identification:
What is my goal?
How am I feeling?
Choices
Consequences
Social Problem-Solving:
Applying the PICC Model
Problem Identification:
John pushes ahead of me in line at a kickball game.
What is my goal? I want my place back in line
How do I feel? I’m a little angry
Choices
Consequences
Problem Identification: John pushes ahead of me in line at a
kickball game.
Choices:
1. Call him names .
2. Kick him
3. Tell him to move back.
4. Talk to the teacher.
Consequences:
Problem Identification: John pushes ahead of me in line at a
kickball game.
Choices:
Consequences
1. Call him names .
1. John will yell back and
push. We will both get into
trouble.
2. John will kick back. I will
be suspended.
3. John might move.
4. John might get into trouble
and be mad at me.
2. Kick him
3. Tell him to move back.
4. Talk to the teacher.
Social Problem Solving Activities

Group discussions, using PICC with hypothetical
and real social problems
 Viewing videotape modeling of social problem
solving in action
 Role-playing of alternate solutions to social
problems
 Groups create videos depicting competent
solutions to problems
 Blockers and Solvers Game
View Larson Tape
(10)
Trouble at Sea: Boat Activity Session 18

You are members of a fishing party on a boat that
has run into bad weather and has engine trouble.
Because of rough weather, the captain says the
boat needs to be lighter. You crew members must
decide which items to throw overboard. You need
to decide as a group which items to throw
overboard first.
Objects in Boat

Box of matches
 Compass
 10 gallons of water
 Life rafts
 Flashlight
Radio (ship to shore)
Navigational map
Signal flares
100 Feet of rope
Life jackets
Trouble At Sea

What was the problem in this situation?
 Did different people have different ideas about
which items to throw overboard?
 How did you decide which items to keep and
which ones to throw overboard?
 Did thinking about the consequences help you
decide which items to keep?
Automatic Responding Versus
Thinking Ahead

Using a DUSO Card or real life problem, ask group
members to generate as many solutions to the problem
situation as possible.
 Using the same problem, ask the group to do the exercise
once again. This time they are to first think about the
consequences of each choice, and then only respond with
choices that will have a positive outcome.
 Discuss with students the idea that, if they are able to
stop and think before responding, they will often be able
to think of better solutions.
Obstacles and Persistence:
Blockers/Solvers Activity
Session 19

Divide group into Solvers vs Blockers (tries to think
of “blocks” or obstacles that would make a solution
fail)
 Problem will be about peer conflict
 Blockers have 2 minutes to think about the “best”
obstacle
 Solvers have 2 minutes to think of alternative
solutions
 And so on………, until no new blocks or solutions
Solve That Problem: example

You are in a group at school. Your group has the
chance to earn a party if they earn enough points.
However, to earn enough points for the party, each
member of the group needs to return their goal sheet
every week with at least one signature. Your group
may not be getting the party because several
members of the group keep forgetting their goal
sheets or are having difficulty meeting their goals.
What can you do?
Solve That Problem: example – cont.

1.
2.
3.
4.


Solutions
Threaten the students
Use a buddy system to remind members about goal sheets
Bribe the teachers to sign the sheet
Help members pick better goals.
The team chooses solution 2.) to use buddies.
Obstacles
 The Blockers come up with the obstacle of the buddy
becoming sick all week and so he/she is not there to remind
the member to bring the goal sheet to group.
Additional Problem Scenario

You have been saving for a long time and finally
have $20.00 in your bank account. You have just
been invited to a birthday party for your best
friend. You also want to buy something for
yourself that costs $15.00. If you buy what you
want for yourself, you will not have enough
money to buy your friend a nice gift. What can
you do?
Tips for Videotaping Success






Have children create a “script” before videotaping
Rehearse before videotaping
Can use cue cards to remind them what to say or do
Decide if group members will have “jobs” of filming and
using cue cards
After taping a sequence, have group review the segment,
discussing the problem-solving points they were trying to
illustrate, and if they should tape anything differently
Remind group that group rules will be in effect; place limits
on “silly” behavior, and edit silly behavior out before replays
PICC Video
Create PICC Picture Book
Foci for Coping Power Child
Component

Behavioral and personal goal  Perspective-taking and
setting
attribution retraining
 Organizational and study skills  Social problem-solving in
variety of situations (peer,
 Accurate awareness of feelings
teacher,
family)
related to anger and
 Resistance to peer
vulnerability
pressure, and focus on
 Anger management training,
involvement with nonincluding methods for selfdeviant peer groups
instruction, distraction, and
(Session 29-33)
relaxation
Peer Pressure

Peer Pressure Defined
 Discussion of Positive vs. Negative Peer Pressure
 Discussion of Refusal Skills
 Discussion of Involvement in Non-Deviant Peer
Groups
 Group creates a poster indicating how to handle
peer pressure, and posting it at school
Peer Pressure: Why Kids Might
Give In






Group Acceptance (to be accepted by the group)
Approval (so that other kids will like you)
Repetition (someone keeps bugging you until you give
in)
Being Threatened Physically/Socially (someone threatens
to hurt them if they do not do it/threatens to tell everyone
what a wimp you are
Being Put Down (kids do not want to be teased)
Reassurance (other kids say that there is no way you can
get caught)
Activities
Discussion – group members
generate different reasons why children may
give in to peer pressure
 Role Play – Write down the general
categories on slips of paper and have group
members act out a short skit depicting that
reason
 Pictures/DUSO Cards – ask group members
to discuss the motivation for giving in to
pressure depicted in the picture
 Group
Peer Pressure: Refusal Skills
What Can I Do?







Say No Thanks
Broken Record
Make an Excuse
Leave the Situation
Change the Subject
Make a Joke
Try to Use Peer Mediation





Act Shocked
Flattery
Suggest a Better Idea
Return the Challenge
Find Other Kids to Hang
Out With
View Peer Pressure Video
Deviant Peer Group and Group
Membership

Cliques/Clubs?Groups at School
 Group Identification and Status
 Position within Group
 Neighborhood Survey
 Joining Positive versus negative Peer
Activities/Groups
 Positive Leadership Qualities in Self and Others
Activities Promoting Positive
Development
 Create
poster to display in school
 Strength Bombardment (identifying positive
qualities in self)
 Positive leadership qualities in self and
others
End on Positive Note

Provide end of year party, particularly if earned
group reward
 Play review game to recall and discuss skills
learned
 Highlight positive behavior changes each student
has made
 Present certificates of completion
 Say goodbyes and discuss how to maintain
positive behavior changes
Coping Power
Parent
Component
Coping Power Parent Component
 Group
format with two co-leaders.
 5 to 10 sets of parents in each parent
group
 16 sessions
 Reminders by phone/mail
 Phone check-ins
Foci for Coping Power
Parent Component





Positive attention and rewards for appropriate child
behavior
Ignoring minor disruptive behavior
Provision of clear commands, rules, and
expectations
Use of consistent consequences for negative child
behavior (response cost, time-out, withdrawal of
privileges)
Monitoring of children’s behavior in the community
Foci for Coping Power Parent
Component (cont.)

Improvement of family communication and
increasing family activities

Improvement of parents’ own stress management

Informing parents of children’s current work on
social-cognitive skills (e.g., problem-solving skills) in
their group, so parents can reinforce children’s use of
these new skills

Academic support at home
Outline of Parent Sessions
Session 1 – Parent Orientation
 Session 2 – Academic Support at Home
 Session 3 – Stress Management – Part 1
 Session 4 – Stress Management – Part 2
 Session 5 – Getting Ready for Summer
 Session 6 – Academic Support in the Home Review
 Session 7 – Tracking and Praise
 Session 8 – Ignoring Minor Disruptive Behavior

Outline of Parent Sessions
Session 9 – Giving Instructions
 Session 10 – Rules and Expectations
 Session 11 – Consequences; Discipline and
Punishment
 Session 12 – Discipline and Punishment – Part 2
 Session 13 – Family Cohesion Building
 Session 14 – Family Problem Solving
 Session 15 – Family Communication
 Session 16 – Long-Term Planning/Termination

Supporting Parental Involvement
(1) External Motivational Factors





Provide transportation to meetings.
Run groups at convenient times for parents.
Provide supervised child waiting rooms.
Provide snacks.
Provide transportation and stipends (with grants)
(2) Foster Self-Motivation & Ownership of Program


Facilitate group cohesion and support network forming between
parents.
Present parenting strategies as options that parents can choose,
promoting problem solving.
Program Orientation: Session
Goals (Session 1)

To familiarize staff and parents with one another
 To finalize meeting plans
 To orient parents to the structure of the group
 To provide overview of the program
 To introduce topic pertaining to academic support
in the home
Academic Support at Home:
Session Goals (Sessions 2, 6)

Review reactions to first session
 Offer rationale for timing of session
 Discuss steps to set up homework assignment
check
 Provide a structure and monitoring routine
wherein parents can supervise homework
Academic Support in the Home –
Setting Up a Homework Structure

Set expectations
 Identify a time/place
 Remove distractions
 Review assignments
 Provide supplies
Written contract
Set a total duration
Set a good example
Show an interest
Vary the structure
Be available to help
Monitor progress
Parent-Teacher Conference

Setting up a meeting
 Be sensitive to parents’ past experiences
 Examples of questions to ask
 Being proactive versus reactive
 Be prepared
 Be on time
 Make a plan for ongoing communication
Stress Management: Session
Goals (Sessions 3-4)







To introduce topic of stress management
To present a working definition of stress
To use ABC chart to discuss stress and stress
management
To talk about stress in parenting
To introduce topic of “taking care of yourself”
To introduce and practice active relaxation
To present a cognitive model of stress and mood
management
ABC CHART
Antecedents
Behavior
Consequences
Pie Chart Activity

Please draw a large circle.
 Make the circle into a “pie” by separating it into ‘Life
Segments.’ Make sure to include segments for each role that
you play in life, making sure to include all roles that take up
your time, energy, and “space.”
 Roles:
___________ ____________ ____________ _________
___________ ____________ ____________ _________
___________ ____________ ____________ _________
Stress Management

Positive and negative stressors
 Physiological aspects of stress
 Stress in parenting
 Taking care of yourself
 Management of stressful events/daily hassles
 Planning ahead helps
 Cognitive model of stress and mood management
Putting Time Where It Belongs

Know what needs to be done and prioritize
 Block your time
 Set realistic goals
 Juggle tasks
 Improve energy level
 Environmental chaos! Get rid of it!
 Schedule time for yourself each day/week/month
 Just say no – It will be okay……Really it will
 Stop procrastinating and just get it done
Tracking and Praise – Objectives
(Session 7)
1. Introduce the concept of positive consequences for
good behavior.
2. Introduce specific techniques of tracking and
praise, including labeled and unlabeled praise.
3. Give homework assignment.
a) Monitoring and tracking their children’s good and bad
behaviors.
b) Increased use of praise for good behavior.
c) Parents identify the place in the house where each is
going to post the tracking sheet and state what time
interval of the day they can do this tracking.
Parent Report of Child Behavior Checklist
Negative Behavior
Positive Behavior
___Argues
Agrees; Accepts direction
___Defiant
Compliant; Obedient
___Fights with Sibs
Plays with Sibs
___Hits others
Solves Problems Verbally
___Hyperactive
Calm; Sits still
___Temper Tantrum
Accepts “No” for an answer
___Whining
Uses age appropriate voice
Ignoring Minor Disruptive Behaviors
(Session 8)
 Minor disruptive Behaviors are often Attention Seeking Behaviors
 If the child’s goal is attention seeking, then ignoring minor behaviors
will eventually lead to a decrease in these behaviors
 Reprimanding, scolding or talking to a child after an attention seeking
behavior actually rewards the child.
 Introduce the strategy
–
–
–
–
Cut off all talking to the child
Do not look at the child
“Stick to it” even if behavior escalates
Praise the child as soon as positive behavior occurs
Ignoring Minor Disruptive
Behaviors – Objectives
1. Use concept of “Catching Your Child Being Good” to lead
into Ignoring.
2. Generate some examples of minor negative behavior.
3. Leaders engage in role plays to demonstrate Ignoring and
then get parents to volunteer for role plays.
4. Process parental reactions to the concept and techniques of
ignoring.
5. Give homework assignment.
a) Continue to monitor and track good behaviors and praise those.
b) In addition, track minor negative behaviors and practice ignoring
those.
Behavior Tracking Form
Negative Behaviors to Target
Prosocial Opposite
1a.
1b.
2a.
2b.
3a.
3b.
•Write in the number and letter of the identified behaviors (negative behaviors or
prosocial opposites) each time your child engages in them.
•Put a check (X) in each box every time you praise your child for doing the
prosocial opposite of your target behaviors during your monitoring time.
•Put a star (*) in each box every time you ignore your child’s minor inappropriate
behaviors.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Week 1
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Praise:
Catch Your Child Being Good
 Introduce
Concept of Positive
Consequences for Good Behavior
Praise – states the exact behavior
being praised
 Labeled
“ You did a good job of taking out the garbage the first time
asked.”

Unlabeled Praise – nonspecific praise
“Good job”, “I like that”, etc.
Giving Instructions to
Children – Objectives (Session 9)
1. Introduce concept of giving “instructions that work” to
children.
2. Discuss how to use a parenting skill already learned
(praise) to improve child’s compliance.
EXAMPLES: “Curtis, take out the garbage, please.”
(Curtis complies). “Thank you for taking out the garbage when I
asked you to.
“Sam, hang up your jacket.” (Sam complies). “Thanks for doing
what I asked you to do.”
Giving Instructions to
Children – Objectives (continued)
3. Present material on “Giving Good Instructions”
and “Instructions that Don’t Work.”
4. Give homework assignment.
a) Begin practicing good instructions and see if their
child complies to their good instructions. If the child
does comply, parents should praise that compliance.
The sequence is:
Instruction----- Comply----- Reward/Praise
Giving Good Instructions
1. Given as a direct statement.
2. Given only once.
3. Followed by 10 seconds of silence.
Instructions that Don’t Work:
Buried Instructions
•
•
•
Instructions that are followed by too much talking on
the part of the parent (i.e., explaining, rationalizing, or
criticizing).
EXAMPLE:
“John, go put on your sweater, because it’s cold outside.
You know how you always get chilled and then you
catch a cold. Then, you have to stay home from school,
and this gets you behind in your schoolwork.”
Good Instruction Alternative: “John, go put on your
sweater.”
Instructions that Don’t Work:
Chain Instructions
• Stringing or chaining too many commands together. If
more than two commands are given at once, the child
may not be able to sustain his attention through the entire
string.
• EXAMPLE:
“Get to you room, and clean up that mess on the floor,
and make up your bed, and take out the garbage, and then
get in there and fix a sandwich for you little brother.”
• Good Instruction Alternative: “Go put away the toys
that are on your bedroom floor.”
Instructions that Don’t Work:
Question Instructions
• Giving the command in the form of an interrogative
statement (questions) instead of an imperative statement.
Conveys that the child is being given a choice and may
choose to answer “No.”
• EXAMPLE:
“Don’t you think you should turn off the TV and do your
homework now?”
• Good Instruction Alternative: “Turn off the TV and do
your homework.”
Instructions that Don’t Work:
Repeated Instructions
• Repeating the same command over and over again. Using
a “magic number” that children learn. Teaches the child
to tune the parent out.
• EXAMPLE:
“Take out the garbage. I said, take out the garbage.
Didn’t you hear me? I said take out the garbage!”
• Good Instruction Alternative: “Take out the garbage.”
Instructions that Don’t Work:
Vague Instructions
• Vague commands are not specific. They do not state
exactly what the parent wants the child to do.
• EXAMPLES:
“Stop that!” “Behave yourself!” “Be good.” “Calm
down.” “Grow Up!” “Act Your Age!”
• Good Instruction Alternative: “Use an inside voice in
the grocery store.”
Instructions that Don’t Work:
“Let’s…” Instructions
• Commands that begin with “Let’s…” imply that
the parent and child are going to do the task
together when, in fact, the parent wants the child
to do the task independently.
• EXAMPLE:
“Let’s go clean up your room.”
• Good Instruction Alternative: “Clean up your room.”
Rules and Expectations (Session 10)
Rules indicate behavior that the parent would like
the child to decrease.
– Hitting, cursing, name calling
Expectations indicate behavior the parent would
like the child to increase.
– Chores, prosocial behaviors
Rules and Expectations: Session
Goals

To discuss importance of having clear rules for
children
 To use ABC chart to discuss rules
 To role-play discussing behavior rules at home
 To discuss expectations for chores and other
appropriate behavior
 To role play negotiating chores with children
ABC CHART
Antecedents
Behavior
Consequences
Clear command.
Compliance.
Praise/rewards.
Clear command.
Noncompliance. Time-out/
privilege removal.
Discipline and Punishment (Session 11-12)
Teach parents alternatives to physical
punishment
– Privilege Removal
– Response Cost/Work Chores
– Time-Out
– Total reward shutdown
Discipline and Punishment:
Session Goals

To introduce the concept of punishment
 To provide a working definition of punishment
 To teach why physical punishment is often
ineffective
 To solicit ideas from parents about punishment
 To discuss use of time-out, response cost and
work chores as alternative punishment procedures

To help parents choose an effective punishment strategy
Privilege Removal – Steps To
Follow






Give a good instruction
Wait 10 seconds. (do not talk)
If the child does not follow instructions in the 10
seconds, give a warning. (“If you do not do ___, you will
lose ___ (privilege).”
Wait 10 seconds again. (do not talk)
If the child still does not follow instructions within the 10
seconds, say, “Since you did not do ___, you have
lost___ (privilege)”
Parent then needs to immediately remove the privilege
Privilege Removal - Continued
The parent gives the same instruction and completes the
entire sequence using a second privilege
 If the child still refuses, total Reward Shutdown is put
into place immediately
 Remove access to reinforcers: i.e. TV, phone, computer
 Ignore child’s protests
 The child remains on “total reward shutdown” until
completing all instructions given
 The child still loses the first and second privileges
because the instructions were not followed the first time
Key Points

Privileges that are removed should be things the
child likes or values
 The privilege should be logically related to the
misbehavior
 No warnings are to be given for violations of
behavior rules or expectations
Work Chores – Steps To Follow

Give a clear instruction
 Wait for 10 seconds. (Do not talk during this time.)
 If the child does not follow instructions in the 10
seconds, give a warning. “If you do not do___, you will
have to___(work chore).”
 Wait for 10 more seconds. (Do not talk)
 If the child does not comply during the 10 seconds, say,
“Since you did not do___, you now have to ___(work
chore).”
Work Chores - Continued

After the child does the work chore, give the original
instruction all over again. Repeat the sequence again,
until the child does the original instruction.
 If the child refuses to do the work chore, warn the child
that if they do not comply right away, “total reward
shutdown” will be put into place.
 Wait 10 seconds, if child does not follow instructions,
implement “total reward shutdown” immediately.
 Inform child they will stay on “total reward shutdown
until they do original task and the assigned work chore.
Key Points
 Do
not argue with the child.
 Be sure to follow through with giving back
privileges as soon as the child completes the
two tasks.
Time-Out – Steps To Follow





Give a good instruction
Wait for 10 seconds. (do not talk)
If the child does not follow instructions within the 10
seconds, give a warning. “If you do not do ___, you will
have to go to time-out.”
Wait for 10 seconds again. (do not talk)
If the child still does not follow instructions within the 10
seconds, say: “Since you did not do___, you have to go
to time-out now.”
The child should go to your identified time-out place for
10-20 minutes.
Time-Out - Continued





Ignore the child while he/she is in time-out. (Do not talk
to the child).
At the end of the time-out, take the child back to the
original situation and give them the same instruction
again.
If the child does not follow the instructions go through
the above steps again.
Keep cycling through the above steps until the child
complies
Don’t give up, your child will learn that you do not
intend to back down.
Key Points

No warning given for behavior rule violation.
 Remember to ignore child completely when they are in
time-out.
 If your child comes out of time-out without permission,
You may want to either remove a privilege or add time to
their time-out period.
 You may prefer to remove all reinforcers from the
environment that your child is in rather than remove your
child from the environment (be sure to remove all
reinforcers).
Getting Ready for Summer:
Session Goals (Session 5)

Assist parents in preparation for the summer
months
 Discuss setting up structures and activities
 Reinforce parents for their continued efforts to
implement assigned homework
 Encourage parents to find ways to “take care of
themselves”
 Plan some type of end of year celebration
Family Cohesion Building:
Session Goals (Session 13)

To introduce the concept of family cohesion
building
 To introduce rationale for family cohesion
building
 To discuss family cohesion building at home
(family night activities, etc.)
– Provide handout with suggestions for free or low-cost
family activities in area
Ways To Improve Family
Functioning








Get involved with your kids! Spend time with them
Talk to your kids in a non-judgmental and open manner
Talk to your child about their future and help them plan
Establish clear expectations and rules
Consequences for misbehavior must be known to all and
followed on a consistent basis
Keep conflict to a minimum,create a positive environment
Teach children to problem solve using words, not violence
Negotiate with your children (when appropriate) to teach
conflict resolution
Family Problem-Solving:
Session Goals (Session 14)

To introduce rationale for family problem
solving
 To introduce steps of family problem solving
using the PICC model from child intervention
 To present parents role in sibling conflict
 To practice problem solving in action
Family Problem Solving
Problem Identification: Tim and Suzie keep fighting
over the Play Station 2
Choices:
 1. No one gets to use the PS2 for
2 months

2. They can each play for 30
minutes at a time

3. They can only play 2-person
games
Problem Identification: Tim and Suzie keep fighting
over the Play Station 2
Choices:
Consequences

1. No one gets to use the
PS2 for 2 months
1. The kids will complain and
parents might give in.

2. They can each play for
30 minutes at a time
2. The kids will practice taking
turns, but they might fight
over who goes first

3. They can only play 2person games
3. They might not agree on
which game to play
Family Communication:
Session Goals (Session 15)

To introduce family communication over the
long term
 To develop a structure for family
communication
 To discuss monitoring child activities outside of
home
Family Communication:
Questions for Discussion





Does your family currently have a way of talking with
each other about problems or concerns?
How do you negotiate changing established rules?
How does your family currently go about talking with
each other?
How often does the family sit and talk about family
issues?
Are you satisfied with the way your family
communicates?
End on Positive Note







Hold parent celebration
Review skills that both parents and children learned
Show children’s videos, posters, etc.
Highlight positive behavior changes made in both parents
and children
Discuss important role parents play in helping their
children apply the skills learned and maintain + behavior
Provide school and community resources
Solicit parents’ feedback about program
Please Complete
Feedback Survey
Thank You!