Self-management therapies and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Reinforced self-evaluation and anger control interventions.

This paper reviews cognitive-behavioral self-management treatments for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and presents case material illustrating the approach.

The authors argue that standard treatments — operant behavior modification and psychostimulant medications — are insufficient on their own, and that reinforcement- and rehearsal-based self-management approaches can supplement them.

Case examples focus on training in anger management and self-evaluation skills, demonstrating how these techniques are applied in practice.

Self-instructional treatments alone are not adequate for ADHD children.

However, reinforcement- and rehearsal-based behavioral interventions can be combined with self-management approaches to extend the gains produced by behavioral procedures.

The case material illustrated that multimodality treatment — combining pharmacologic, behavioral, and self-management components — is a warranted approach for the difficult social and behavioral problems seen in ADHD.

J et al. (literature) used self-rating strategies with a different population coping with pain. Their work shows the core idea of self-monitoring travels beyond ADHD contexts.

Yueh-Ming et al. (literature) found that children with ADHD are at elevated risk for injury. Teaching self-control and self-monitoring, as described in this paper, could reduce such risks — though direct tests are still needed.

Guillaume et al. (literature) found differences in working memory neural architecture in ADHD. Self-management strategies don't fix the underlying neurology, but they provide external tools that can compensate for executive function gaps.

You can add a self-rating check to any behavior plan. At the end of a work period, ask the student how they think they did. If their rating matches yours, provide praise or a brief reward.

This approach teaches children to monitor their own behavior, which supports independence and maintenance after formal intervention fades.

The authors caution against overclaiming: self-management is an adjunct, not a standalone fix. Pair it with behavioral and, where appropriate, pharmacologic supports.