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COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) therapy was developed by Ross Greene, PhD, and Stuart Ablon, MD.  One can learn more about this approach by reading the best-selling book "The Explosive Child" by Ross Greene.

Collaborative Problem Solving therapy offers an approach much different than the well-studied "behavior therapy" (also called parent skills training, parent training, or parent management training) for managing children who are often angry, disruptive, defiant, and/or explosive.  Many of these children may have been diagnosed with ADHD and/or conduct/oppositional defiant disorder.

PSYCHOTHERAPY TECHNIQUES USED IN COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

Instead of using a system of rewards, consequences, and mild punishments such as time-out (as used in behavioral therapy), CPS views the child's disruptive, explosive behavior as the child's inadequate and inappropriate attempt to solve a problem in his world.  The child's particular means of "solving his problem" may not be satisfactory to the parent or teacher, but it is the only solution he can figure out at this point.  In collaborative problem-solving therapy (CPS), the parent's or teacher's role is to "figure out" what problem the child is struggling with, such as having a constitutionally short fuse, a need to be in control of what seems to be an unpredictable environment, an inability to understand adults' requests, etc.  Once the parents understand's the child's problem, their next role is help the child find a solution, given the problem, and to "scaffold" (assist) the child to a next step in developing new skills and behaviors that help them solve the problem.

This scaffolding step is much like what a coach does: a great batting coach understands his batter's problems, because he has examined the swing, the stance, whether the batter closes his eyes when the pitch is delivered or at the point of impact, whether the batter's upper body strength is poor, etc., and then designs a specific exercise or set of practices that will build the necessary skills to advance his pupil to the next step.  The great coach doesn't give too many or few instructions; he gives just enough to challenge his student, and ensures that the pupil succeeds, step by step.  Along the way, the coach may alter his plan, based on the student's response.  The great coach realizes that "just saying it" may not be enough: he might have to show his student how to do it, or he may do something novel to get his student to feel and notice the difference between a good swing and a poor swing. He might realize that his student is discouraged, and decide to hold off before adding something new is added, or divert the student to something he previously mastered, to rebuild his student's confidence.

Because as many as 20% of children with disruptive behavior problems have "side effects" to traditional behavior therapy, the REACH Institute offers continuing education and CME training courses in collaborative problem solving therapy, working with Ross Greene, PhD, a master trainer and one of CPS' developers.  To learn more about CPS training in your agency or region, contact Lisa Hunter Romanelli, PhD at the REACH Institute, 212-947-7322.