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“Ross Greene and J. Stuart Ablon...have elegantly translated neuropsychologists' perspective of how children organize their experiences, regulate their emotions and behaviors, and integrated it with systemic family therapy, empathy development, and communications analysis to present a refreshing treatment approach to disruptive behaviors in children and teens....Details a new systemic approach for children with behavioral issues, as well as articulates a significant challenge to interventions derived from learning theory (e.g. time-outs, token economies), which the authors feel are not sufficient explosive behaviors are the result of neurologically based skills deficits that should be remediated by parents in collaboration with their children, not by parents imposing their will on their children....Useful for clinicians at any stage in their training and level of expertise as a comprehensive introduction to a new treatment approach for a very challenging set of familiar clinical issues.”

—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Book Reviews


“One of the greatest benefits of the book is its case examples. There are several 'scripts' in which its approach is illustrated in different situations—schools, family therapy, and treatment facilities. These examples provide the reader with excellent demonstrations of the model....The book is well written and easy to read for both professionals and parents. The book's points are emphasized and reemphasized so that there is little possibility for confusion. Treating Explosive Kids can most certainly be a useful resource for psychologists in schools, private practice, and residential facilities and for parents and teachers.”

—PsycCRITIQUES


“Greene and Ablon have done it again. This book illustrates their clinical acumen, conceptual sophistication, and scientific rigor—all at the same time! This is an uncommonly useful book for students and for therapists at all levels of experience. The authors' collaborative problem-solving approach takes into consideration the delicate dance between poorly regulated children and their frustrated and sometimes poorly equipped parents. These children and their families require special interventions, and this innovative book goes a long way to helping us in our clinical practice, teaching, and research.”

—Thomas H. Ollendick, PhD, Child Study Center and Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech


“Provocative, conceptually grounded, and clinically wise. The CPS approach looks at a range of common, vexing parent-child problems and applies sound individual and family strategies, innovatively framed in the context of children's deficits in executive functions, communication, and emotion regulation. Loaded with case examples, this is essential reading for all those who work with 'externalizing' children.”

—Stephen P. Hinshaw, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley


“This cutting-edge book provides a practical and easily understood guide for treating explosive children and adolescents. It presents an innovative, compassionate model that is very helpful in improving the quality of life for these kids and those who care for them.”

—Michael S. Jellinek, MD, Child Psychiatry Service, Massachusetts General Hospital; Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School


“Greene and Ablon's CPS approach is an excellent integration of theory, research, and clinical wisdom. The authors present a thoughtful clinical framework and specific procedures for interpreting and managing children's explosive, noncompliant behavior. This book belongs on the bookshelf of every clinician who works with these youngsters.”

—Howard Abikoff, PhD, Institute for Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity and Behavior Disorders, NYU Child Study Center

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Table of Contents

1. Explosive Children and Adolescents: The Need for a Different Paradigm

2. Identifying Pathways and Triggers

3. Options for Handling Problems: Three Plans

4. Plan B Basics

5. Beyond the Basics

6. Skills Trained with Plan B

7. Collaborative Problem Solving in Schools

8. Collaborative Problem Solving in Therapeutic/Restrictive Settings

9. Last Call

10. Epilogue: Beyond Explosive Kids

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About the Authors

Ross W. Greene, PhD, is founder and director of Lives in the Balance and the originator of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions approach, as described in his books The Explosive Child and Lost at School. He is also adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech. In addition to providing outpatient care, he consults to schools, inpatient units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities. Dr. Greene's research focuses on the classification and treatment of explosive children; long-term outcomes in socially impaired children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); and the impact of teacher characteristics on school outcome for elementary school students with ADHD. He has written extensively on behavioral assessment and social functioning; school- and home-based interventions for children with disruptive behavior disorders; and student-teacher compatibility. His research has been funded by the Stanley Medical Research Institute, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Greene received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Virginia Tech after completing his predoctoral internship at Children's National Medical Center/George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, DC.

J. Stuart Ablon, PhD, is the Director of Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he specializes in the treatment of explosive children and adolescents and their families. He is also Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He consults extensively to schools, inpatient units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities. Dr Ablon's research focuses on the process and outcome of psychosocial interventions, particularly the treatment of explosive children. He has authored numerous articles, chapters, and scientific papers on behavioral assessment and psychosocial interventions for children with disruptive behavior disorders. Dr. Ablon's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Psychological Association, the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Institute, and the Endowment for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. Dr. Ablon received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of California at Berkeley and completed his pre- and postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

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Audience

Mental health professionals working with children and families, including child clinical psychologists, child psychiatrists, family therapists, social workers, and school psychologists and counselors.