Parent Behavior Coaching Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Parent Behavior Coaching?

Parent behavior coaching, sometimes called, “behavioral parent training,” (BPT) is an evidence-based methodology to help your child improve behaviors at home. Because parents have a great deal of influence on their young child’s behavior, therapy that focuses on training parents is recommended because children are not developmentally capable of changing their own behavior without their parents’ help.

My coaching model focuses on using a therapeutic approach to support you in increasing desirable behaviors in your child, reducing instances of misbehavior, improving parent-child interactions, and bringing about a more positive family atmosphere.  I draw from various parent behavior training programs that have strong empirical support, along with other methodologies that I have found to be helpful for the specific issues we are working on. I tailor our work to your child and family’s needs, values, and goals.

When is Parent Behavior Coaching Appropriate?

Research has shown that it is a “well established” treatment approach for children engaging in significant disruptive, noncompliant, and/or aggressive behaviors, and it is often recommended as the first line of treatment due to its high level of effectiveness.  Behavioral issues commonly treated with this approach include:

·      Aggression

·      Anger

·      Attentional Issues

·      Hyperactivity

·      Defiance

·      Noncompliance

·      Refusal

·      Impulsivity

·      Irritability

·      Tantrums

·      Parent-child conflict/negative interaction cycles

·      Emotional dysregulation

There is also substantial evidence suggesting that this is a helpful treatment for behaviors related to Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in children and teens.

What should I expect?

Our work together consists of an initial assessment to learn more about your child and family, to screen for other factors that might be influencing behavior, and to establish meaningful goals. We then meet for eight to 16 weekly one-hour sessions, where your child’s behaviors and strategy use at home are reviewed in a supportive space, where new skills are taught and practiced, and where we target new skills to try with your child the following week. I share handouts at each session that summarize the new strategy, and we add to your child’s “live” behavior plan that will be complete by the end of our work together. 

You can expect to be actively practicing new skills between sessions, and this should help result in increased feelings of connection with your child, increased feelings of efficacy in parenting, and decreased levels of stress for the entire family.