which they implement and record results of reinforcing prosocial behavior (or supplement with “Clear Rules, Positive Reinforcement, Appropriate Consequences” in the Adolescent Psychotherapy Homework Planner by Jongsma, Peterson, McInnis, & Bruce); review in session, providing corrective feedback toward improved, appropriate, and consistent use of skills.
Parents work with therapist and school to implement a Behavioral Classroom Management program. (27, 28)
Consult with the client's teachers to implement age-appropriate strategies to improve school performance, such as sitting in the front row during class, using a prearranged signal to redirect the client back to task, scheduling breaks from tasks, providing frequent feedback, calling on the client often, arranging for a listening friend, and implementing a daily behavioral report card.
Consult with parents and pertinent school personnel to implement an age-appropriate Behavioral Classroom Management intervention (see ADHD in the Schools by DuPaul & Stoner) that reinforces appropriate behavior at school and at home, uses time-out for undesirable behavior, and uses a daily behavioral report card to monitor progress.
Complete a peer-based treatment program focused on improving social interaction skills. (29)
Conduct or refer the client to a Behavioral Peer Intervention (e.g. Summer Treatment Program or after school/weekend version) that involves brief social skills training followed by coached group play in recreational activities guided by contingency management systems (e.g. point system, time-out) and utilizing objective observations, frequency counts, and adult ratings of social behaviors as outcome measures (see Summer Treatment Programs for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by Pelham, et al.).
Identify and implement tactics, strategies, and skills for maximizing focused productivity and minimizing interference bought on by ADHD vulnerabilities. (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
Provide psychoeducation about ADHD or ADHD and addiction and orient the adolescent client to the CBT model and its rationale including cognitive and behavioral skills such as organization, planning, adaptive thinking, while reducing distraction and procrastination to improve focused productivity (see Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents by Sprich & Burbridge; Substance Use in Adolescents with ADHD by Kennedy et al.; Substance Use chapter in this Planner).
Teach organizing and planning skills including the creation of a centralized and prioritized task list.
Teach distraction delay and cue-controlled techniques that respectively involve writing down distractions while working and coming back to them after a set amount of time and instructing the client to check in with him or herself regularly (e.g. every 30 min) to assess if he or she was still working on the task at hand or if he or she had gotten distracted.
Use cognitive restructuring to teach adaptive thinking skills and respond adaptively to task-interfering thinking including anxious, depressive, or overly positive thinking that does not recognize the effects of attentional deficits.
Teach skills to reduce procrastination including scheduling tasks, breaking them down into manageable steps, learning to set realistic goals for completing tasks, and rethinking beliefs about perfectionism.
Conduct relapse prevention in which all skills are reviewed, continued use is encouraged, and coping with potential future difficulties are rehearsed; ask client to schedule a self-check-in one month after the last treatment session.
Parents develop and utilize an organized system to keep track of the client's school assignments, chores, and household responsibilities. (36)
Assist the parents in developing and implementing an organizational system to increase the client's on-task behaviors and completion of school assignments, chores, or household responsibilities using calendars, charts, notebooks, and class syllabi (or supplement with “Getting It Done” in the Adolescent Psychotherapy Homework Planner by Jongsma, Peterson, McInnis, & Bruce).
Increase frequency of completion of school assignments, chores, and household responsibilities. (37, 38)
Assist the parents in developing a routine schedule to increase the client's compliance with school, household, or work-related responsibilities.
Encourage the parents and teachers to utilize a school contract and reward system to reinforce completion of the client's assignments (or supplement with “Getting It Done” program in the Adolescent Psychotherapy Homework Planner by Jongsma, Peterson, McInnis, & Bruce).
Identify and implement effective test-taking strategies on a consistent basis to improve academic performance. (39)
Teach the client more effective test-taking strategies (e.g. reviewing
