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Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach

Jorge Amado

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Parenting explosive kids can be a daunting task, leaving parents feeling overwhelmed and helpless. Explosive behavior, characterized by sudden and intense outbursts of anger, aggression, or defiance, can disrupt family life and strain relationships.

Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach

by Ross W. Greene

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	257 pages

Traditional discipline methods often fail with explosive kids, leaving parents feeling frustrated and ineffective. However, there is hope. The Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach offers a transformative framework for addressing explosive behavior, empowering parents to understand and guide their children towards positive change.

Understanding Explosive Behavior

To effectively treat explosive behavior, it's essential to understand its underlying causes. Explosive kids often struggle with:

Difficulty regulating emotions: Explosive kids may have difficulty identifying and managing their emotions, leading to overwhelming feelings that escalate into outbursts.
Cognitive challenges: Deficits in problem-solving, decision-making, and perspective-taking abilities can contribute to explosive behavior.
Environmental factors: Stressful family environments, inconsistent parenting, or exposure to trauma can trigger explosive behavior.

The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach

CPS is a collaborative approach that involves both the parent and child working together to identify and solve problems that lead to explosive behavior. The CPS process involves the following steps:

1. Active Listening:
Parents actively listen to their child's perspective, trying to understand their thoughts and feelings without judgment or interruption.

2. Problem Identification:
Parent and child work together to define the specific problem that is triggering the explosive behavior.

3. Brainstorming Solutions:
Parent and child generate multiple possible solutions to the problem, considering the child's age, abilities, and preferences.

4. Solution Evaluation:
Parent and child evaluate the potential consequences and benefits of each solution, eliminating unrealistic or unfeasible options.

5. Solution Implementation:
The selected solution is implemented in a consistent and collaborative manner, with the child's input and support.

6. Progress Monitoring:
Parent and child regularly monitor the progress of the solution, making adjustments as needed to ensure its effectiveness.

Benefits of CPS

Research has shown that CPS is highly effective in reducing explosive behavior and improving parent-child relationships. Benefits of CPS include:

Increased child cooperation: CPS empowers children to take ownership of their behavior, leading to increased compliance and cooperation.
Improved emotional regulation: By teaching children how to identify and manage their emotions, CPS helps them develop essential coping skills.
Stronger parent-child bonds: CPS fosters communication and collaboration between parents and children, strengthening their relationships.
Reduced stress for parents: CPS provides parents with effective tools to manage their child's behavior, alleviating stress and frustration.

The Collaborative Problem Solving approach offers a transformative solution for parents of explosive kids. By working together to understand and address the underlying causes of explosive behavior, parents can empower their children to develop positive coping strategies and build stronger, more harmonious relationships.

If you are struggling to cope with your child's explosive behavior, consider adopting the CPS approach. By embracing active listening, collaborative problem-solving, and a commitment to progress, you can create a more positive and fulfilling family dynamic for both you and your child.

Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach

by Ross W. Greene

4.5 out of 5