FAQ About PsychoEd (5)

ADHD when properly diagnosed is a neurological disorder, and some behavior problems are symptoms of that disorder. Medication and behavior therapy (behavior modification) together have been shown to work well in controlling symptoms. That being said, many children and youth with ADHD have emotional problems that are secondary to the neurological disorder. For example, kids with ADHD often have difficulty in school, and develop poor self-esteem and maladaptive behaviors as a result! The secondary problems may become more serious than the original neurological disorder, particularly during adolescence. Psychoeducational approaches may be quite beneficial when that is the case.

My child is diagnosed with ADHD but has behavior and emotional problems, too. How can psychoeducation help her?

What do psychoeducators think of social skills training?

Most psychoeducators believe that social skills training can be quite effective within the context of a therapeutic relationship, for it is the relationship that motivates most kids to want to learn new behaviors. It is true, of course, that many ED/BD kids do not know how to respond in many social situations, and developing new skills can only be helpful.  The ground-breaking "skillstreaming" methods espoused by the late Dr. Arnold P. Goldstein (1933-2002) and others have been particularly influential, probably because they recognize the importance
of understanding the whole child before discrete skills can effectively
be taught.  An interesting interview with Goldstein may be found here (.pdf).