A Flow Chart of Behavior Management Strategies for Families of Children with Co-Occurring Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Conduct Problem Behavior
A single-page flow chart can break down complicated parent-management steps into a teachable chain for families of kids with ADHD plus conduct problems.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Danforth (2016) drew a one-page flow chart. It walks parents through each step of managing problem behavior in kids who have both ADHD and conduct issues.
The chart lists what to do first, second, third, and when to call the BCBA. No data were collected; the paper simply shows the tool.
What they found
The author did not test outcomes. The product is the finding: a clear, teachable chain any parent can follow at home.
How this fits with other research
Al-Nasser et al. (2019) later showed that picture packets let untrained adults run preference assessments and DTT with near-mastery. Both studies use plain visuals to give novices expert-level skill.
Mulder et al. (2020) extended the idea to teachers. They gave five short workshops with scripted slides and saw student behavior improve. The flow-chart concept works for parents; the same logic works in high-school classrooms.
Lerman (2024) now calls this approach a "dissemination blueprint." The 2024 paper urges us to package behavior tools so non-behaviorists can use them. The flow chart is an early example of that blueprint.
Why it matters
You now have a ready-made parent hand-off. Print the flow chart, walk the family through it once, and send it home. When parents ask, "What do I do when she hits?" point to the next box instead of giving a long lecture. Less talk, more follow-through.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Behavioral parent training is an evidence-based treatment for problem behavior described as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder. However, adherence to treatment fidelity and parent performance of the management skills remains an obstacle to optimum outcome. One variable that may limit the effectiveness of the parent training is that demanding behavior management procedures can be deceptively complicated and difficult to perform. Based on outcome research for families of children with co-occurring ADHD and conduct problem behavior, an example of a visual behavior management flow chart is presented. The flow chart may be used to help teach specific behavior management skills to parents. The flow chart depicts a chain of behavior management strategies taught with explanation, modeling, and role-play with parents. The chained steps in the flow chart are elements common to well-known evidence-based behavior management strategies, and perhaps, this depiction well serve as a setting event for other behavior analysts to create flow charts for their own parent training, Details of the flow chart steps, as well as examples of specific applications and program modifications conclude.
Behavior Analysis in Practice, 2016 · doi:10.1007/s40617-016-0103-6