What Is Developmental, Individual-Differences, Relationship-Based Model (DIR/Floortime)? The Developmental, Individual-Differences, Relationship-Based model, commonly known as DIR/Floortime, is a developmental intervention approach for young children, most often used with autism spectrum disorder, that uses child-led play interactions to build emotional connection, communication, and thinking skills, following the child’s interests rather than using externally directed drills. How …
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What Is Collaborative & Proactive Solutions? Collaborative & Proactive Solutions is a non-punitive approach for understanding and addressing challenging behavior in children and adolescents, based on the view that challenging behavior arises from lagging skills and unsolved problems rather than a simple lack of motivation, and works to solve these problems collaboratively with the child …
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What Is Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents? Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents is a developmentally adapted version of interpersonal psychotherapy designed specifically for depressed adolescents, addressing relationship issues especially relevant to teenage life, such as peer pressure, family relationship changes, and single-parent family dynamics. How It Works This adaptation applies the core interpersonal psychotherapy model, connecting mood …
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What Is Brief Strategic Family Therapy? Brief strategic family therapy is a structured, short-term family therapy model developed for adolescent behavioral and substance use problems, focusing on identifying and changing specific, repetitive family interaction patterns believed to maintain the adolescent’s difficulties. How It Works This approach is based on the view that adolescent problem behavior …
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What Is Functional Family Therapy? Functional family therapy is a structured, phased family therapy model developed primarily for adolescents with behavioral difficulties, including conduct problems and involvement with the juvenile justice system, focusing on improving family communication, reducing conflict, and building problem-solving skills. How It Works This model progresses through defined phases: engaging and motivating …
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What Is Multisystemic Therapy (MST)? Multisystemic therapy (MST) is an intensive, community- and home-based treatment for adolescents with serious behavioral problems, such as significant conduct issues or juvenile justice involvement, that addresses multiple systems influencing the adolescent, including family, school, peer group, and community. How It Works MST is based on the understanding that adolescent …
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What Is Parent Management Training? Parent management training is a structured, evidence-based intervention that teaches parents specific strategies for managing child and adolescent disruptive behavior, based on the understanding that changes in parenting practices can significantly improve child behavior. How It Works This approach applies behavioral learning principles, teaching parents to consistently reinforce positive behavior …
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What Is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)? Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) is a structured, evidence-based treatment for young children with disruptive behavior difficulties, in which therapists coach parents in real time (often through a one-way mirror or earpiece) to improve the parent-child relationship and use effective behavior management skills. How It Works PCIT is based on …
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What Is Play Therapy? Play therapy is a therapeutic approach designed specifically for young children, using play as the primary medium through which children express feelings, process experiences, and work through emotional or behavioral difficulties, since young children often lack the verbal skills for traditional talk therapy. How It Works Play therapy is based on …
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What Is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)? Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a structured intervention approach that applies principles of learning theory to build helpful skills, such as communication and daily living skills, and reduce behaviors that interfere with functioning. It is most widely used with children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, though its principles …
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