ABSTRACT
The first inclination adults often have when trying to handle unruly child behavior is to become stricter and to follow the old adage, “spare the rod and spoil the child.” Indeed, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) youth are exposed to more punishment and fewer rewards than children without ADHD or other mental health problems. Studies show that teachers and parents tend to rely on punishment to manage the disruptive, impulsive, and noncompliant behavior of ADHD youth and to get through the frequent behavioral and attentional problems surrounding execution of routine activities of daily living (1). The increasing recognition for a genetic or other biological basis of ADHD, suggests that children with ADHD elicit these interaction styles from adults (and other children) rather than the reverse. This may well be a result of a lack of response among children with ADHD to typical contingencies used with children. Unfortunately, the higher rates of punishment and lower rates of rewards typically being used are not serving to “normalize” their behaviors and may even exacerbate their problems. Answers to the questions of how and why ADHD children respond to contingencies are critical for understanding the best contingency mix for improving their behaviors.
