Many training programs for mental health professionals have a strong social learning orientation. So many such professionals use cognitive-behavioral – especially contingency management programs – in their treatment of challenging kids. The CPS model has its roots in social learning theory as well, but is more oriented toward the “cognitive” than the “behavioral” end of things. So, consistent with much of the research of the last 30 years on children’s development, the CPS model suggests that challenging kids often lack crucial cognitive skills – executive skills, language processing skills, emotional regulation skills, problem-solving skills, and social skills – and that this makes it extremely difficult for them to respond to life’s social, emotional, and behavioral challenges in an adaptive fashion. For a list of the skills we frequently find lacking in challenging kids, click here.

This orientation has important ramifications for clinical care and practice. For example, we don’t put a lot of stock in diagnoses, since diagnoses don’t help people specify the skills a given child may be lacking (and therefore don’t help people understand the child’s difficulties very well). Nor do we have much faith in standard contingency management programs because consequences don’t teach lagging thinking skills.

So what are the primary goals of clinicians using the CPS model? First, help adult caretakers understand that challenging behavior isn’t symptomatic of a deficit in motivation but rather a deficit in skills. Next, help the caretakers identify the specific skills a child is lacking and set about the task of teaching those skills. And help caretakers identify the specific problems (or triggers) precipitating a child’s worst moments and solve those problems. How are the skills taught and problems solved? Primarily by teaching kids and their adult caretakers how to work together to resolve problems in a mutually satisfactory manner.

It’s a new way of doing things for many clinicians, and it’s very hard work…not just for you, but for the families and teachers with whom you work. But the CPS model provides a proven, effective alternative to the standard of care, and may be just what’s needed for some of your most difficult kids.