Oppositional, Defiant & Disruptive Youth: Therapeutic Approaches for Challenging Behavior – Part 2

Oppositional, defiant, and explosively disruptive children and adolescents are frequently referred for therapeutic intervention. In order to assist, we must first be able to understand. Tantrums, rages, aggression toward others, non-compliance with even simple requests, escape behaviors, panic meltdowns; why do these behaviors happen? How do we best respond? In this session we will explore various underlying roots of oppositional defiance in young people, examine mental health issues as they relate to the diagnosis, learn reactive methods for responding appropriately in the moment, and discover pro-active strategies for reducing the frequency of these behaviors.

Following this session, the learner will be able to:
1. Recognize the contributing factors related to the presentation of oppositional defiance in young people.
2. Consider varying approaches for therapeutic engagement.
3. Identify specific areas of deficit within the child/adolescent to target for skill building.
4. Develop successful proactive and reactive strategies for reducing the frequency and intensity of challenging behavior.

1.5 NASW CEU’s at LSW, LMSW & LCSW level