Treating the Unmanageable Adolescent: A Guide to Oppositional Defiant and Conduct Disorders

by Neil I. Bernstein

Overview

The problem of the out-of-control teenager demands immediate and effective attention from clinicians. As American town after town enacts curfew laws for minors and more and more teachers send youths for treatment, therapists are faced with an epidemic for which they often feel ill-prepared. In this book of nuts-and-bolts treatment approaches, mental health professionals are shown how to successfully help defiant and conduct-disordered young people who present with an array of symptoms including chronic truancy, drug abuse, dangerous sexual activity, and poor peer relationships.

Drawing on individual, cognitive-behavioral, group, and family approaches, the book emphasizes the process of diffusing the resistance to change and facilitating treatment compliance. The focus is on understanding as well as altering the rage, sense of entitlement, lack of self-control, and disregard for the rights of others. In particular, the book covers how to
* engage and motivate these youths
* teach patients anger management skills
* conduct group exercises and role play prosocial behavior
* work with empathy-induced guilt to promote change
* manage anticipated disruptions
* use therapist self-disclosure to enhance the therapeutic process
* foster resilience in the "at-risk" population.

To date, no single approach has consistently interrupted the pattern of escalating conflicts and the violations of social norms occurring in this difficult-to-treat population. Each of the prevailing schools of thought makes a contribution to the remediation process but falls short of integrating the diverse interventions available. By presenting a variety of interventions targeting the central deficiencies and systemic dysfunction in the lives of these youths, this book provides clinicians with what they need to make a difference in the lives of troubled young people and those around them.
A Jason Aronson Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781568216300
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/01/2000
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Neil Bernstein, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice, has specialized in treating adolescents for the past twenty years. He has consulted to a number of schools, clinics, and psychiatric hospitals. Previously, he served as chief psychologist at a private psychiatric hospital, director of a behavior clinic at a large metropolitan children's center, and as a forensic consultant. Dr. Bernstein is a highly regarded expert on adolescent issues whose publications include Treatment of the Resistant Adolescent, Managing the Difficult Adolescent Patient, and Getting Adolescents on Track: The Crucial Ingredients.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Understanding the Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Chapter 2 Laying the Groundwork for the Therapeutic Alliance
Chapter 3 Creating a Climate for Change: Diffusing Resistance
Chapter 4 A Model for Confrontation and Limit Setting
Chapter 5 The Role of Therapist Self-Disclosure
Chapter 6 The Road to Self-Control
Chapter 7 Developing the Necessary Interpersonal Skills
Chapter 8 Building Self-Esteem
Chapter 9 Developing Empathy, Morality, and Vulnerability
Chapter 10 Guidelines for Managing Behavior Problems
Chapter 11 Challenging Poor School Performance and Other Failures to Thrive
Chapter 12 Working with Families
Chapter 13 Special Considerations for Group Treatment
Chapter 14 Putting it All Together
Chapter 15 Hard-Core Youth: Learning from Treatment Failures

What People are Saying About This

John E. Meeks

The book is solid throughout, including useful comments about the role of family and school in successful treatment, but the book really sings when it deals with the reality of the direct interaction with these youngsters in therapy, individual or group. The techniques offered for 'selling' therapy to the negative antisocial youngster alone are worth reading the book. It's a jewel written by someone who obviously has spent many hours nimbly sliding past the rage and distrust to touch the humanity at the core of all these young people.

E.James Lieberman

Warning: Start this book and you may be hooked! Neil Bernstein represents the best of the new mental health mentors, the outstanding player–coach. His long and varied experience with oppositional adolescents combined with an ability to integrate psychodynamic and behavioral theory gives us a model text. This wonderful handbook for mental health professionals is so clear and sensible that parents, teachers, judges, clergy, and policy makers will be able to find out for themselves what makes problem kids tick and what to do about it.

Editorial Reviews

The book is solid throughout, including useful comments about the role of family and school in successful treatment, but the book really sings when it deals with the reality of the direct interaction with these youngsters in therapy, individual or group. The techniques offered for 'selling' therapy to the negative antisocial youngster alone are worth reading the book. It's a jewel written by someone who obviously has spent many hours nimbly sliding past the rage and distrust to touch the humanity at the core of all these young people.” —John E. Meeks

“Warning: Start this book and you may be hooked! Neil Bernstein represents the best of the new mental health mentors, the outstanding player–coach. His long and varied experience with oppositional adolescents combined with an ability to integrate psychodynamic and behavioral theory gives us a model text. This wonderful handbook for mental health professionals is so clear and sensible that parents, teachers, judges, clergy, and policy makers will be able to find out for themselves what makes problem kids tick and what to do about it.” —E. James Lieberman

From the Publisher

Warning: Start this book and you may be hooked! Neil Bernstein represents the best of the new mental health mentors, the outstanding player–coach. His long and varied experience with oppositional adolescents combined with an ability to integrate psychodynamic and behavioral theory gives us a model text. This wonderful handbook for mental health professionals is so clear and sensible that parents, teachers, judges, clergy, and policy makers will be able to find out for themselves what makes problem kids tick and what to do about it.

E. James Lieberman

The book is solid throughout, including useful comments about the role of family and school in successful treatment, but the book really sings when it deals with the reality of the direct interaction with these youngsters in therapy, individual or group. The techniques offered for 'selling' therapy to the negative antisocial youngster alone are worth reading the book. It's a jewel written by someone who obviously has spent many hours nimbly sliding past the rage and distrust to touch the humanity at the core of all these young people.

John E. Meeks

In this and other publications, this clinical psychologist in private practice shares his expertise in treating the estimated 2-16% of adolescents with disruptive behavior disorders. Integrating individual, behavioral-cognitive, and family psychology approaches, Bernstein presents his model for confrontation, limit-setting, self-esteem and interpersonal skills-building for troubled youth and their families. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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