What is the Disruptive Behavior Management Program?

The Child Management Training and Parent Support Group is an essential part of the child's treatment in Behavior Therapy Center's Disruptive Behavior Management Program (DBMP).  DBMP is intended for children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette's Disorder or an anxiety disorder in combination with externalizing behaviors such as aggression, anger outbursts, extreme oppositionality, emotional lability, and irritability.

DBMP involves both a child and parenting component of treatment.  While the child is participating in individual therapy, parents are actively engaged in their child's treatment process.  The rationale for a strong parenting component is as follows:

Parenting “as usual”- caring for the child who shows intense distress or extreme discomfort by using your intuition and natural parenting skills– would be more than adequate for most children. However, many children with complex disorders require a specialized approach, because the solutions to these problems can be counter-intuitive, and thus, are unlikely to be within any parent’s skill set. Customary parenting techniques can be inadequate for dealing with the suffering child, especially if the child has become angry, defiant, argumentative, or aggressive. A comprehensive, evidence-based approach can provide parents with specific techniques for facilitating the treatment process, helping parents regain control of the house and reestablishing a healthy relationship with their child. A growing body of research supports parent skills training as essential for effective treatment of children with OCD, anxiety and tic disorders. For example, research concludes that reducing family accommodation for a child’s OCD problems results in significant reduction of symptoms. Furthermore, combining parenting training with standard behavioral treatment for OCD is superior to standard treatment alone.

What is the parenting component of DBMP?

Parents play a crucial and integral part in helping the child gain freedom from tics, obsessions and compulsions, and other symptoms. At the Behavior Therapy Center (BTC), we emphasize a team approach in which the parents are core members. During the child’s treatment with an individual therapist, parents participate in the Child Management Training and Parent Support Group.  During these sessions, parents will receive: (1) education about their child’s disorder and the latest evidence-based treatment, (2) education about behavioral principles that underlie parenting skills, (3) training and practice in parenting skills, and (4) guidance in the successful implementation of skills at home.  If parents are unable to attend the group, they will have the option to work individually with a therapist at BTC.

This group will meet for eight two-hour sessions. 

If you have any further questions about this group, please contact nweintraub@behaviortherapycenter.com.