Integrated Family Intervention for Child Conduct Problems

Book excerpt: "Parents are often trapped in a coercive system in which the daily toll of dealing with misbehaviour leaves them with little positive emotion left to give. Even parents who have been trained in positive parenting fall short of showing enough attachment-rich behaviour. In this treatment program we emphasise interactions applied to non-problematic child behaviour that are rich in caring and shared time. The use of tokens and other artificial rewards are replaced by a focus on love, intimacy and acceptance." Integrated Family Intervention is a practitioner-focused practical and efficacious family-based treatment for conduct problems, incorporating current empirical knowledge of child and family functioning, and extensive clinical experience. The book provides practitioners with a comprehensive theoretical background, research review, practical advice, and a complete manualised 9-session treatment guide including client handouts. The techniques covered are relevant to all clients struggling to manage their child's behaviour. Integrated Family Intervention is primarily targeted at children aged 2 to 8 years with conduct problems such as aggression, non-compliance, rule breaking, tantrums, and fighting with siblings. It can be used in a range of contexts from face-to-face individual tertiary treatment to an early intervention for families at risk, and as a universal preventive strategy for all parents in a group format.