ADHD and Behavior Managment
ADHD, while not caused by environmental factors, can certainly be influenced by them. A chaotic, unstructured, unorganized setting can exacerbate symptoms. On the flip side, a setting that is structured, predictable, and motivating can greatly help.
Many people with ADHD respond well to a reward system with clear consequences for behaviors. Positive behaviors are rewarded with the goal of increasing the occurrence of them. Negative behaviors may receive consequences with the goal of decreasing them. This type of system is called behavior management or modification and it has been found to work well with children and many adults.
When establishing a behavior modification plan, there are some simple steps to follow:
1. Identify Target Behaviors
The first step is to identify the behaviors you want to see and the behaviors you want to decrease or eliminate. Clearly defined target behaviors work best. If you are setting up a behavior modification plan with your child, you may want to first target one behavior. Examples of target behaviors may include – keep hands to self, wait your turn, play quietly, follow directions the first time asked, stay in your seat. As your child has more and more success with the program, add a second target behavior to work on. These are the behaviors you want to reinforce.
Be clear about the behaviors you want to see eliminated. Talk with your child about the behaviors that lead to problems. “Rather than blurting out whenever you want to say anything, we are going to work on you slowing down and taking turns” or “Sometimes you have trouble staying in your seat when you are supposed to so we are going to work on sitting in your seat appropriately. It is important to sit still and keep all four chair legs on the floor,” etc.
2. Identify Effective Rewards and Consequences
Rewards need to be motivating to be effective. They should reinforce and strengthen a behavior. Rewards for children can be material like stickers, a small edible treat, or earning tokens or points that may eventually be used to “purchase” small items like toys. Rewards can also be social rewards like a pat on the back, extra time on the play ground, or verbal praise.
Negative behaviors can receive consequences such as loss of privileges, loss of tokens or points, or time out. These consequences should discourage the inappropriate behavior.
3. Enforce the Plan
In order for a behavior modification plan to be successful it must be a good plan and then it must be consistently enforced. Rewards and consequences should be given as soon as possible after the target behavior has occurred. Negative behaviors must receive consequences immediately, as well. Natural, logical consequences work best. Frequent monitoring and feedback are also helpful, as is implementing the plan across settings such as school/work and home.
Behavioral Interventions for Adults
Adults can also benefit from a reward system. It is easy to get bogged down with the negative aspects of ADHD. Encouragement, focusing on the positive, and rewarding yourself for successes are all important strategies.
Use lists to help keep yourself focused and on track. Check off each item as you complete a task. Set up a color coding system to help keep you organized. Use a daily schedule or planner, use Post-its or dry erase board for reminder notes.
No matter what age, people with ADHD can benefit from regularly scheduled breaks, frequent feedback, work given in small increments, reduce clutter and distractions, increased time to complete work, and help in organizing tasks. These are all ways to have an influence on your environment, structuring it to give yourself the best opportunity for success.
