Arthur D. Anastopoulos, Ph.D.Sarah O’Rourke, M.A.

AD/HD Clinic University of North Carolina

Greensboro

MAKING SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL

What Do We Know About Teens With AD/HD?

“Normal” Development

Striving For IndependencePuts Teens On Collision Course With

Adults Who Set RulesTesting Limits With Awareness Of

ConsequencesMost Learn How Far To Push Without

Incurring Consequences

Impact of AD/HD?

Hard Lessons To Learn Because Of Difficulties Pausing And

Contemplating Consequences

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)

Family Relationships

Trying Different Roles to Establish Adult Identity

“Who and What I Choose to Be”

Emotional Changes

Social and Hormonal Changes Bring About New Emotional Experiences

that Need to Regulated

Social Challenges

Friends vs. Family,Opportunities for Alcohol/Drugs

Driving,Sorting Out Sexuality

Social Success Requires

ReflectionSelf-Control

Perspective TakingThinking Ahead

School Considerations for Teens

Start off the school year with an emphasis on homework completion and studying

School meetings may begin to include the teenEducation and counseling about AD/HD

diagnosis for teen, including information about medication

Use of a daily report card system

School Considerations for TeensConsider requesting a second set of booksHomeroom or other teacher in a “coaching”

role that can help with organizing schoolwork and needed materials

TutoringSpend time each week with the teen doing

something that is mutually enjoyable

Establishing a Homework Ritual (Power et al., 2001)

Homework assignment sheetLocation, Location, Location!Start and end homework at the same time each

dayEstablish time limitsProvide brief breaks & use a timer

Other Homework Considerations

Help teen prioritize tasks and plan for short- and long-term assignments

Use of rewardsHomework - supervisor vs. tutor?Tutoring

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.

Checklist for middle schoolBINDER Is your assignment notebook secured by three rings so that it is the first thing you see when you open your binder?

Is your binder free of loose papers (are all papers secured in folder pockets or attached by three rings)?

Is the Homework Folder attached by three rings behind your assignment notebook?

Inside the homework folder: are homework assignments need for even days in the even day pocket?

Inside the homework folder: are homework assignments need for odd days in the odd day pocket?

Is there a pocket for papers you parents need to see, and only these papers are in it?

Is there a folder for each class you are taking attached by three rings? (1. Math, 2. Science, 3. English/Reading, 4. Social Studies, 5. P.E./Health, 6. other extracurricular courses)

Within each subject folder: Are all non-homework papers for that subject in the right pocket of the folder?

Are the notes from each subject organized from oldest to newest behind the subject folder and secured by the three-rings in the binder?

Are all papers in the correct section of the binder? (no papers in the wrong section)

Are all the papers that are in the binder school related? (no drawings, scrap paper, etc.)

What percent of your binder is organized? Divide the number of Y’s by 11 and then multiply by 100.

BINDERS/BOOKBAG DATES

Do you have the correct binders for today (i.e., even binders on even day and odd binders on odd day)?Are your binders free from loose and irrelevant material (e.g., non-subject related material)?Is your planner present?Is your planner free of loose and irrelevant material?Inside your binders: are there clearly defined locations for storing incomplete assignments?“I keep them in _______________________________________.” Inside your binders: are there clearly defined locations for storing completed assignments (i.e., those assignments ready to be turned in.)? “I keep them in _______________________________________.”Inside the binders: are there clearly defined locations for storing all other class papers (e.g., graded assignments, class notes, class handouts)? “I keep them in _______________________________________.”Is there a clearly defined central location for recording all long-term projects for each subject? “I record them in______________________________________.”

What percent of your binder is organized? Divide the number of Y’s by 8 and then multiply by 100.

Odd Day Binders Checked?Even Day Binders Checked?

Checklist for high school

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 

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.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Polly spoke only at appropriate times in class in accordance with classroom rules. Yes

NoYesNo

YesNo

YesNo

YesNo

Polly completed and turned in all work due today. Yes

NoYesNo

YesNo

YesNo

YesNo

More than half of Polly’s contributions to classroom discussions were relevant and non-redundant. Yes

NoYesNo

YesNo

YesNo

YesNo

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.

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.

Family-Based Treatment For Teens

Problem-Solving Communication Training (Barkley, Edwards, & Foster, 1999)

5 Step Behavioral Problem SolvingEffective CommunicationCorrecting MisperceptionsAdjusting Family Structure

Problem Solving

Define Problem - Concise, Neutral Generate Alternative SolutionsEvaluate SolutionsImplement and Test Out

Communication

Goal Is To Avoid Communication Patterns That Fan The Flames

Parental Lecturing, Bringing Up the Past, Labeling

Teen Ignoring, Not Listening, Name Calling

Faulty Cognitions

Correcting Parent and Teen Misperceptions That Fan the Flames

Mind Reading, Negative Fortune Telling, All-or-None Thinking

Family Systems

Adjusting Family StructureParent-Parent AllianceProper Parent-Teen Boundaries

Thank You For Attending Tonight’s

Presentation!