How is the psychological intervention for ADHD?

ADHD is one of the most common childhood problems. This disorder not only affects the academic environment, but also the social, family and, in adulthood, the workplace. An early diagnosis and treatment increases the chances that the child will have a better quality of life.

Below you will find a summary of what is the psychological intervention for ADHD, explaining the main tools used by psychologists specializing in this disorder.

• Related article: "The 7 Types of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Symptoms and Causes)"

Characteristics of psychological intervention for ADHD

Psychological intervention for ADHD (Attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity) uses a set of psychotherapeutic techniques to help children and adolescents to develop their cognitive abilities while learning to manage and control the symptoms of disorder. Psychological therapy is essential, providing the necessary behavioral and cognitive strategies so that patients with ADHD have the highest possible quality of life.

The different methods and techniques of psychological intervention for ADHD focus on developing children's capacity for self-control and adolescents, manage the main symptoms of the disorder, manage and control frustration, improve and train their social skills and communicative. To do this, it uses different strategies, using

behavioral procedures, self-control, instructions, and relaxation, among others.

Below we delve into the various approaches to ADHD in the context of therapy.

1. Psychoeducational approach

The psychoeducational approach in ADHD consists of teach the patient and her family what the main features of the disorder are and what can be done to improve both the behavior and adaptability and quality of life of the child and his or her closest environment.

In this context, the following is done:

• Explanation of ADHD to the patient.
• Clarification of possible problems and risks associated with the disorder.
• Different avenues of intervention and treatment for ADHD.
• Make the patient aware of his diagnosis and accept it.
• Commitment agreement and therapeutic compliance.

2. Cognitive behavioral therapy

The cognitive-behavioral approach has proven to be the most effective psychotherapeutic tool in many disorders, including ADHD. This therapy has shown great effectiveness in reducing the disruptive behavior of children with ADHD, making them acquire greater control over their behavior. For its application and effectiveness, the involvement of the patient, the child or adolescent, and the people responsible for their education, parents, teachers and other caregivers, is essential.

Parental involvement is especially important., because they are the ones who apply the guidelines at home and have direct experience with their child's behavior.

The aspects that are worked on in cognitive-behavioral therapy are:

• Personal development and guidance.
• Conflict resolution.
• Self-instruction training.
• Organization and behavior planning.
• Emotional self-regulation.
• Training in skills and internal strategies.

• You may be interested: "The 10 benefits of going to psychological therapy"

3. behavior modification therapy

Behavior modification therapy is based on operant conditioning, making use of reinforcers and punishments to contribute to the extinction of disruptive behaviors and the acquisition of positive behaviors.

Among the aspects that are worked on are:

• Rules and limits
• Trainings in positive habits
• Modification of disruptive behaviors and conduct problems
• Positive Behavior Training

Within this approach, we can mention several operating techniques.

3.1. Positive reinforcement

Briefly, positive reinforcement is a procedure by which an attractive or good stimulus is presented, something that interests the patient, after he has done the behavior that interests us as therapists to carry out. The purpose of applying positive reinforcement is to increase the probability that the desired behavior will occur again.

• Related article: "The 16 types of reinforcers (and their characteristics)"

3.2. Token Economy

The token economy is an operant technique that has become especially popular in the field of psychoeducation. This system establishes a series of specific behaviors which will award rewards to the patient if they are respected. With the token economy, it is intended to encourage good behaviors, through the positive reinforcement that the tokens exert or rewards, and reduce unwanted behaviors, resorting to negative punishment in the form of the loss of such tokens.

• You may be interested: "Token economy: what it is and how it is used in therapy and education"

3.3. Extinction

Extinction is the main technique to reduce a behavior or, directly, eliminate it.. It is about decreasing the reinforced response to an unwanted behavior. To do this, it is essential to determine what is reinforcing the behavior in order to eliminate such reinforcement and consequently eliminate the response.

3.4. Time out

Time out is a technique that is intended to deprive the child of any reinforcers that may be present in the context of misbehavior. Basically, it consists of isolating the child for a short period of time, not exceeding 10 minutes. The child must be explained in advance that her behavior has not been appropriate and is forced to spend some time in isolation to reflect on what happened.

3.5. overcorrection

Overcorrection is applied when the child has a negative behavior. He is asked to rectify what he has done wrong and restore the damage done. In the case of positive practice overcorrection, the individual who has done something wrong must repeat a positive behavior, the one indicated, as compensation.

4. Social skills training

The social area is one in which children and adolescents with ADHD present the most difficulties. In psychotherapy it is intended to promote the acquisition of guidelines, strategies and skills to make the patient relate more appropriately with their environment. This is a training process that will favor the social interaction of children and adolescents with ADHD with their peers and avoid problems such as social rejection, low self-esteem and isolation. Among the aspects that are worked on are:

• Self-esteem, self-concept and emotional assertiveness
• socialization rules
• Social Competence Skills

5. Relaxation and stress control

The relaxation techniques They help control hyperactivity. Along with body work, the patient learns to channel his excess activity, his agitation, nervousness, stress and anxiety if any. Relaxation is especially useful for promoting positive emotions, helping the patient to remain calmer. The calmer the family nucleus, the better communication between its members and the better relationship with the child.

Useful aspects to work on ADHD related to relaxation are:

• Breathing
• Body expression
• Leisure activities: sports, hobbies of interest to the child...
• Psychomotricity

6. Internal language and self-instructions

It is very important to address the internal language of the patient with ADHD, helping you internalize rules and instructions that help you have organized and reflective thinking.

The technique of self-instructions is one of behavior change, with which it is intended to modify the patient's thoughts by replacing them with others that may be more useful and effective in achieving their goals or objectives. These are guidelines that the patient gives to himself, in order to direct her way of acting.

Examples of self-instructions would be:

• "I'm going to listen to the teacher."
• "I have to cross the street carefully."
• "I must leave the chair in the desk well."
• "I must not doodle on the classroom table."
• "I have to check if I have all the books I need to study."

7. self-control techniques

According to experts who work with children and adolescents with ADHD, much of the self-control problems can be improved by teaching the patient to moderate. These techniques are aimed at getting you to see, understand and keep in mind that you must reduce your impulsive behaviors, those that are immediately gratifying, but that in the medium and long term do not help you at all, neither socially nor academically.

To apply a self-monitoring program, the following steps can be followed:

• Identify what the main problem is and set achievable goals.
• Get the patient to commit to modifying her behavior.
• Record data and identify possible causes of the problem.
• Design and implement a treatment program.
• Prevent relapse and ensure that the improvement lasts over time.

8. parent training

Parent training and family interventions are often effective. In the event that in the parent-child relationship there are many frictions and few positive interactions, in the intervention Psychological treatment for ADHD reinforces the skills of parents so that they have a better handling of situations. Parents are taught effective communication methods to establish norms and take control.

Parents learn to make eye contact with their child, give commands one at a time, and do so in positive contexts. In addition, parents are taught how to set appropriate negative consequences or sanctions for each specific behavior problem, tailored to ADHD. These consequences must be closely related to the undesired behavior, that is, that when punishments are applied, the child is aware that they are given because he has done a bad thing that he knows which is.

Are you looking for psychological assistance in case of ADHD?

If you want to have psychotherapeutic support for ADHD, get in touch with us.

At Cribecca Psychology we serve people of all ages, families and also couples. We offer face-to-face and online sessions.