Debra Langer
HBSK 4073
Book Review
McMahon, R.J. & Forehand, R.L. (2003). Helping the noncompliant child: family-based treatment for oppositional behavior. New York: The Guilford Press.
Summary
The purpose of this book is to provide a detailed description of the empirically validated Helping the Non-Compliant Child (HNC) program – a program created to help parents improve their children’s (ages 3-8) noncompliant and oppositional behavior.
Chapter 1 provides background information on noncompliance by discussing the role of compliance and noncompliance in normal development and by highlighting the role of noncompliance in the development of conduct problems early in life. The authors stress that current research indicates …show more content…
The consequence for failing to attend to a clear instruction in a timely manner is a time out. The chapter includes numerous parent record sheets to support the parents as they practice the techniques at home. After the parent has met the behavioral criteria for Phase II, has been successfully employing the clear instructions sequence and standing rules in the home and has been able to implement both Phase I and Phase II skills outside the home, termination of the program is appropriate.
Chapter 8 describes four sets of adjunctive interventions developed by the authors to enhance the effectiveness and generalization of the treatment effects. Chapter 9 explains how the HNC program can be adapted for special populations. Finally, Chapter 10 presents a review of the research and testing of the HNC program. Four distinct appendices contain numerous parent handouts and record sheets, various assessment measures, and one adjunctive intervention. …show more content…
Regarding assessment, the book provides step-by-step guidelines and numerous possible assessment measures including, but not limited to, checklists, guide sheets, a score sheet for behavioral coding of a direct observation session, and an observation data summary sheet for home observations. Moreover, the discussion of the feedback session even contains sample scripted language for the therapist to use when presenting feedback and recommendations to the parent. Given that this is a parent-focused intervention, it is clear that the authors want to ensure parent “buy in.” Indeed, the authors note that the therapist should not ask the parent for a decision concerning whether he or she wants to participate in the intervention but to simply ask the parent to think it over so that the parent can enter the program voluntarily and with a stronger and more genuine commitment.
The HNC program is highly standardized, yet surprisingly flexible. While the order of skills learned is fixed, the time spent on each skill is not. The program is geared to the parent’s own rate of progress and the behavioral criteria ensures that the parent will attain a certain level of proficiency in one parenting technique before moving on the to the next skill.
This book is extremely thorough and from reading it one can clearly understand why the HNC program
HBSK 4073
Book Review
McMahon, R.J. & Forehand, R.L. (2003). Helping the noncompliant child: family-based treatment for oppositional behavior. New York: The Guilford Press.
Summary
The purpose of this book is to provide a detailed description of the empirically validated Helping the Non-Compliant Child (HNC) program – a program created to help parents improve their children’s (ages 3-8) noncompliant and oppositional behavior.
Chapter 1 provides background information on noncompliance by discussing the role of compliance and noncompliance in normal development and by highlighting the role of noncompliance in the development of conduct problems early in life. The authors stress that current research indicates …show more content…
The consequence for failing to attend to a clear instruction in a timely manner is a time out. The chapter includes numerous parent record sheets to support the parents as they practice the techniques at home. After the parent has met the behavioral criteria for Phase II, has been successfully employing the clear instructions sequence and standing rules in the home and has been able to implement both Phase I and Phase II skills outside the home, termination of the program is appropriate.
Chapter 8 describes four sets of adjunctive interventions developed by the authors to enhance the effectiveness and generalization of the treatment effects. Chapter 9 explains how the HNC program can be adapted for special populations. Finally, Chapter 10 presents a review of the research and testing of the HNC program. Four distinct appendices contain numerous parent handouts and record sheets, various assessment measures, and one adjunctive intervention. …show more content…
Regarding assessment, the book provides step-by-step guidelines and numerous possible assessment measures including, but not limited to, checklists, guide sheets, a score sheet for behavioral coding of a direct observation session, and an observation data summary sheet for home observations. Moreover, the discussion of the feedback session even contains sample scripted language for the therapist to use when presenting feedback and recommendations to the parent. Given that this is a parent-focused intervention, it is clear that the authors want to ensure parent “buy in.” Indeed, the authors note that the therapist should not ask the parent for a decision concerning whether he or she wants to participate in the intervention but to simply ask the parent to think it over so that the parent can enter the program voluntarily and with a stronger and more genuine commitment.
The HNC program is highly standardized, yet surprisingly flexible. While the order of skills learned is fixed, the time spent on each skill is not. The program is geared to the parent’s own rate of progress and the behavioral criteria ensures that the parent will attain a certain level of proficiency in one parenting technique before moving on the to the next skill.
This book is extremely thorough and from reading it one can clearly understand why the HNC program