Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anger and Aggression in Children

by Denis G. Sukhodolsky, Lawrence Scahill

Overview

This highly practical book presents an evidence-based individual therapy approach for children and adolescents experiencing anger problems. Comprising 10 child sessions and three parent sessions, the treatment addresses anger management, problem solving, and social skills. Sessions are described in step-by-step detail, complete with helpful case examples and therapist scripts. The authors show how to flexibly implement a range of cognitive and behavioral strategies while maintaining treatment fidelity. Reproducibles include 38 worksheets and handouts, plus therapist checklists and parent forms, all in a convenient large-size format for easy photocopying.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781462506323
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	07/24/2012
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 10.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Denis G. Sukhodolsky, PhD, is Assistant Professor at the Yale University Child Study Center. His work concerns the effectiveness and mechanisms of cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with disruptive behavior disorders, anxiety, Tourette syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Sukhodolsky has authored or coauthored over 60 papers and book chapters, and he has received awards from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Tourette Syndrome Association, and the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation. He also provides clinical care to children and families and teaches cognitive-behavioral therapy to clinical fellows. This book is a result of several clinical trials that examined the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anger and aggression in children and adolescents.

Lawrence Scahill, MSN, PhD, is Professor of Nursing and Child Psychiatry at Yale University, where he is Director of the Research Unit on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network at the Child Study Center. The RUPP Network is focused on developing and testing new treatments for children with autism spectrum disorders accompanied by disruptive and explosive behavior. Under Dr. Scahill's direction, the Yale group is also actively involved in a clinical trials consortium on Tourette syndrome, the aim of which is to develop and test new pharmacological and behavioral interventions in children and adults with Tourette syndrome. Dr. Scahill serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the Tourette Syndrome Association and on the editorial boards of several journals.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Module 1: Anger Management
Session 1. Introduction to CBT and Education about Anger
Session 2. Self-Instruction and Relaxation
Session 3. Emotion Regulation
Module 2: Problem Solving
Session 4. Problem Identification and Attribution
Session 5. Generating Solutions
Session 6. Evaluating Consequences
Module 3: Social Skills
Session 7. Developing a Coping Template for Peer Provocation
Session 8. Assertiveness Training
Session 9. Social Skills for Conflict Resolution with Adults
Session 10. Review and Conclusion
Parent Sessions
Parent Session 1
Parent Session 2
Parent Session 3
Appendices:
1. Client Handouts
2. Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale (DBRS)
3. Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ)
4. Checklist of Anger Management Skills
5. Treatment Fidelity Checklist

Interviews

Child clinical psychologists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, and school psychologists.

Editorial Reviews

"This clear, well-written book incorporates evidence-based practices for anger management with children and adolescents. Sukhodolsky and Scahill also draw on their own behavioral treatment research with neuropsychiatric disorders. The book is notable for its practical emphasis on how to implement the program. Another feature that sets this book apart is the inclusion of assertiveness training and methods to help children prevent anger-provoking situations before they occur. It will be a useful text for graduate training in practicum courses and for training clinicians."—John E. Lochman, PhD, ABPP, Professor and Doddridge Saxon Chairholder in Clinical Psychology, University of Alabama

"Sukhodolsky and Scahill address an important clinical need for professionals treating disruptive behaviors in 8- to 16-year-olds. Based on established research in the field, the approach in this book can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other psychosocial or psychopharmacological therapies. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anger and Aggression in Children is a valuable resource for a wide range of clinicians who provide mental health services to children and adolescents."—Daniel F. Connor, MD, Lockean Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine

"Anger and aggression are major issues for many children and adolescents seen in outpatient settings, and practical, effective interventions are badly needed. This book provides empirically based tools that can help this volatile (yet often fragile) population. One strong asset of the authors' approach is that it attempts to put young people in the driver's seat so they can experience more control and autonomy over their own actions. Most of these patients are not deliberately aggressive; they feel powerless to manage their reactions to upsetting events. This book will help to break this vicious cycle."—Michael Aman, PhD, Nisonger Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, The Ohio State University

From the Publisher

Useful for training programs for psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and others who provide mental health services to children….The first Appendix is a rich compilation of all 38 handouts used in the program. As mentioned, these resources are legitimately reproducible, greatly adding to the overall utility of this book….This is a well-done, well-laid-out, and well-researched treatment program presented in modularized fashion for use with a wide range of children and teenagers. The procedures can be utilized in both individual and group format, standardizing many elements of treatment interventions that have been studied and found to be efficacious. The book may be used in both inpatient and outpatient facilities and, while primarily meant for clinicians, it certainly can be an adjunctive graduate text in any child behavior therapy program or utilized as the format for a university-based clinic program for acting out children and teenagers.

Child and Family Behavior Therapy