Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Ph.D . Sarah O’Rourke, M.A. AD/HD Clinic University of North Carolina

1. MAKING SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Ph.D. Sarah O’Rourke, M.A. AD/HD Clinic University of North Carolina Greensboro

2. What Do We Know About Teens With AD/HD?

3. “Normal” Development • Striving For Independence • Puts Teens On Collision Course With Adults Who Set Rules • Testing Limits With Awareness Of Consequences • Most Learn How Far To Push Without Incurring Consequences

4. Impact of AD/HD? Hard Lessons To Learn Because Of Difficulties Pausing And Contemplating Consequences

5. Academic Challenges Entry into middle and high school brings with it increased demands for self-regulation (e.g., bring materials to class, arriving on time, planning ahead, increased emphasis on homework)

6. Family Relationships Trying Different Roles to Establish Adult Identity “Who and What I Choose to Be”

7. Emotional Changes Social and Hormonal Changes Bring About New Emotional Experiences that Need to Regulated

8. Social Challenges Friends vs. Family, Opportunities for Alcohol/Drugs Driving, Sorting Out Sexuality

9. Social Success Requires Reflection Self-Control Perspective Taking Thinking Ahead

10. School Considerations for Teens Start off the school year with an emphasis on homework completion and studying School meetings may begin to include the teen Education and counseling about AD/HD diagnosis for teen, including information about medication Use of a daily report card system

11. School Considerations for Teens Consider requesting a second set of books Homeroom or other teacher in a “coaching” role that can help with organizing schoolwork and needed materials Tutoring Spend time each week with the teen doing something that is mutually enjoyable

12. Establishing a Homework Ritual (Power et al., 2001) Homework assignment sheet Location, Location, Location! Start and end homework at the same time each day Establish time limits Provide brief breaks & use a timer

13. Other Homework Considerations Help teen prioritize tasks and plan for short- and long-term assignments Use of rewards Homework - supervisor vs. tutor? Tutoring

14. Challenging Horizons Program (CHP) After-school program for middle-school students – skills are practiced directly in the school setting Direct one-to-one help in the areas of organization, assignment tracking, study skills, note-taking, social problem solving, and self-monitoring in social settings Counselors consult regularly with the students' teachers and hold periodic meetings with the students' parents Participants are monitored by staff using a behavior tracking system, and immediate feedback is provided in the form of “behavior calls.

15. Checklist for middle school

16. Checklist for high school

17. The Written Plan Homework Management Plan • How much time will the parents expect him/her to study on Sunday through Thursday evenings? • Is there a designated place for him/her to study? Where? • When will he/she be required to complete the study time each day? • What are the daily/weekly contingencies for the completion of study time? • How will parents know if child is working during study time? • What if it is determined that the child was not working during study time? • Student’s Signature Date   • Parent’s Signature Date 

18. Daily Report Card for English Teacher (Evans & Youngstrom 2006) Monday’s Date _______________________ Student – Polly Instructions: Please circle either the “yes” or “no” corresponding to each of the three target behaviors and the day of the week. This report should be faxed to Polly’s mother at work every Friday before 5:00 pm.

19. Parenting Principles • Shift parenting in a more democratic direction. • Divide world of issues into those that can be negotiated and those that cannot. Give explanations for stated rules regarding non-negotiable issues. • Involve the adolescent in decision making regarding negotiable issues. • Provide frequent and immediate feedback and consequences. • Use incentives before punishments. • Strive for consistency.

20. Parenting Principles • “Act, don’t yak.” • Plan ahead for problem situations. • Actively encourage and shape responsible independence-related behavior. • Be the adolescent’s cheerleading squad and encourage the adolescent to build on his or her strengths. • Keep a disability perspective. • Don’t personalize the teen’s problem or disorders. • Practice forgiveness.

21. Family-Based Treatment For Teens • Problem-Solving Communication Training (Barkley, Edwards, & Foster, 1999) • 5 Step Behavioral Problem Solving • Effective Communication • Correcting Misperceptions • Adjusting Family Structure

22. Problem Solving • Define Problem - Concise, Neutral • Generate Alternative Solutions • Evaluate Solutions • Implement and Test Out

23. Communication • Goal Is To Avoid Communication Patterns That Fan The Flames • Parental Lecturing, Bringing Up the Past, Labeling • Teen Ignoring, Not Listening, Name Calling

24. Faulty Cognitions • Correcting Parent and Teen Misperceptions That Fan the Flames • Mind Reading, Negative Fortune Telling, All-or-None Thinking

25. Family Systems • Adjusting Family Structure • Parent-Parent Alliance • Proper Parent-Teen Boundaries

26. Thank You For Attending Tonight’s Presentation!