Can Dude Teach Johnny a Few Tricks?
by Dr. James Feinberg, Child Clinical Psychologist
You might ask: Who is Dude? Well, Dude is a bright, sensitive, and loving 115 pound German Shepherd who also happens to be a therapy dog. And, who’s Johnny? Well, he’s any child who is having significant trouble controlling his behavior.
Usually, most kids learn to control and monitor their needs, feelings, and ultimately themselves, and without any assistance. This learning occurs as a function of time and learning, or development and socialization. However, some kids just don’t seem to learn self-control. As a result, they can’t keep their hands to themselves, they blurt things out in class and on the playground, and they grab things off of other kids’ desks at school.
Kids with such behavior problems or impulse control problems are frequently reprimanded, scolded, and punished by their teachers and their parents as well as teased and/or avoided by their peers. With time, these kids develop negative reputations with their teachers and peers. Not surprisingly, these kids also start to feel quite badly about themselves, and they become at risk for becoming depressed.
It is imperative that we assist kids with impulse control problems as early as possible, and before there are any long lasting psychological effects. Typically, these kids are treated with stimulant medication. Some kids respond favorably to such medication, some don’t, and most, if not all, develop some type of negative side-effects like insomnia, loss of appetite, weight loss, and moodiness. Furthermore, the medical approach does not teach these kids what to do differently. The underlying and erroneous assumption is that normal development and learning will occur after the symptom is successfully treated. Often, this is very far from the truth.
Interestingly, in the 1960’s, psychological researchers found that behavior modification was actually much more effective than stimulant medication in not only reducing kid’s impulsive behavior but improving their grades at school as well. These researchers found that by positively reinforcing on task behavior at school or the opposite of impulsive and disruptive behaviors, these kid’s grades significantly improved and their impulsive behavior was essentially eliminated. Not surprisingly, the group that got medication only saw a moderate decrease in impulsive behavior but no improvement in grades; supporting the position that only treating the symptom does not result in other essential learning. Sadly, in our search for a quick fix, we have largely forgotten this poignant research.
Pet assisted therapy is another powerful treatment approach to impulse control problems; and, it is also based upon teaching kids positive behaviors incompatible with undesirable negative ones. Here’s an over-simplification of how it works: By the time most kids arrive at my office, they’re socially isolated and quite needy. They desperately want Dude’s loving and attention. After all, dogs are our best friends, and love us no matter what. For the most part, Dude is more than willing to deliver love--although he has some conditions about how kids have to act or interact with him. Via Dude’s reactions and my verbal feedback about what Dude wants kids to do more of, these kids not only learn various social rituals about how to approach Dude, they also learn how to control and direct their behavior in addition to observing others’ reactions to their behaviors. With repetition and practice, these kids not only learn how to impress Dude but their peers, teachers, and parents, too. With time, these kids also feel much better about themselves, and about their new ability to positively affect the world around them.
So, can Dude teach Johnny a few tricks? You bet and then some!
Please call Dr. James Feinberg for more information at 314-966-0880.
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