Ten guidelines for effective use of positive reinforcement as a parenting technique are described. Practical examples are used to illustrate such principles as consistency, immediacy, and specificity in giving praise. A distinction is made between giving reinforcement and giving love. (JW)

This brief booklet discusses the characteristics, causes, and treatments of attention deficit disorders with hyperactivity. Although children with this condition may be overly active, fidgety, distractible, aggressive, impulsive, and have difficulty learning, the primary problem is their inability to concentrate and pay attention. The exact origin…

This guide describes methods to help parents and others reduce the unacceptable behaviors of children with multiple sensory impairments and replace those behaviors with acceptable ones. The guide recommends that the behavior change program begin with simple changes so that both the parents and the child gain experience in changing behavior. The…

An effective discipline technique that helps children develop a good self-concept is to reinforce positive behavior. Suggestions for structuring an emotionally healthy environment where there is open communication between adult and child are discussed. (DF)

Teenagers are presented with increasing degrees of freedom and exposure to risk in the current fast-paced electronic age. Teenagers challenge parents to help them find ways to overcome the risks around them. This book speaks to the parent child relationship and provides parents with insights on how to protect their children from the dangers around…

This Boys' Town paper for parents examines the reactive aggression of children who respond aggressively to what they view as provocation. The paper differentiates between reactive and proactive aggression by presenting examples of each. Factors that can increase aggression in families are noted, including punishment acceleration, crossover,…

The Living with Asthma Program is designed to teach asthma self-management skills to children (ages 8-12) with asthma and to give their parents the knowledge and behavior modification skills to help their children take over responsibility for managing the condition. Both groups receive training in problem solving and in ways to improve family…

Parents of preschoolers have no time for trial and error; the they are too busy with day-to-day survival. Practical survival tips for parents of preschoolers are interspersed with humorous anecdotes in this book, organized according to a typical day in the lives of preschool children. Tips are organized according to three interaction levels: (1)…

This monograph aims to assist parents in dealing with behavior problems of children with disabilities. It begins with a case history of an 8-year-old girl with learning disabilities, emotional problems, and behavior problems and her parents' advocacy efforts to obtain an appropriate educational environment for her. Aversive interventions are…

Certain play situations are very difficult for young visually impaired children. This booklet focuses on three areas of play: exploring toys and materials, making transitions from one activity to another, and playing with other children. Through anecdotal descriptions of common situations encountered by caregivers, the booklet discusses why these…

Practical suggestions are offered for parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for managing the behavior of their children through the use of positive and negative consequences. Suggestions focus on the child getting up in the morning, getting ready for school, homework, chores, dinner time, free time, bed time,…

It is in small schools' interest to educate parents in behavioral management skills. Concepts taught should include positive reinforcement by shaping, charting, contingency contracting, reinforcing incompatible behavior, and time-out. Parents will need help in becoming more structured in parent/child interactions, aware of reinforcement habits,…

Seven difficult developmental phases for parents are colic, awakening at night, separation anxiety, normal exploratory behavior, normal negativism, normal poor appetite, and toilet training resistance. Principles of behavior modification and alternatives to physical punishment are given for each phase as part of the treatment plan for the…

This self-study training manual for parents of children with autism contains nine modules on behavior modification techniques. The modules address: (1) the ABC's of behavior, which discusses discriminating among words that describe feelings and words that describe behaviors, identifying examples of learned behavior, and defining and identifying…

Designed for parents with handicapped children, this manual provides current information on the development and growth stages of all children to serve as a basis or guideline for comparison. First, introductory comments focus on skills needed by all parents to help their children build feelings of self-worth and to grow. Next, an overview is…