I am a single grandmother raising a 12 year old boy with ADHD who is in dire need of help in developing social skills in his new middle school environment. He has alienated the few friends he was starting to make by being unable to interpret cues he gets from others. He misreads situations and cannot let go of negative interactions. Can anyone recommend resources that might be of help to me and to him to gain understanding and skills?
Re: Social Skills
Hi,
I recommend Skillstreaming the Adolescent: new Strategies and Perspectives for Teaching Prosocial Skills (rev.ed) by Dr. Arnold P. Goldstein and Dr. Ellen McGinnis, 1997 (papercover, 352 pages ISBN 0-87822-369-X)
Skillstreaming the Adolescent: New Strategies and Perspectives for Teaching Prosocial Skills - Program Forms, By Dr. Arnold P. Goldstein and Dr. ellen McGinnis 1997 papercover, 8 1/2 x 11 inch format 48 pages, ISBN 0 87822 371-1.
And the Student manual. Maybe his school counselor or school psychologist will help set up a program in the school for your son (and others). If your son has an IEP, specify this type of service.
Re: Social Skills
Hi,
i have just purchased a book called Teaching Your Child the Language of Social Success, by marshall P Duke, Ph.D., Stephen Nowicki, Jr., Ph.D., Elisabeth A. Martin, M.Ed.
My understanding is the older the child gets the more obvious the social skills becomes. My child is in 9th grade and I’m still search for answers and a behavioral thearipist that understands LD’s to help her and me.
Good luck
julie
Re: Social Skills
Greetings Selene,
Thanks for the info on the Skillstreaming series. I’m curious though, how is the book different from the Program Forms Booklet? Also, how important is it to get the student manual with the book? I’m homeschooling so I’m only working with my child. Thanks!
Blessings, momo
With someone like you asking such good questions for this child, he will surely ultimately be fine. Many middle schoolers are dealing with the issues you describe. I assume your grandson does not take medication for his ADHD as, if he did, it should be helping him with just these issues. Is there a guidance counselor at his school? Sometimes guidance counselors can take this issue on. If there’s a local children’s hospital or a local chapter of CHADD, a group for familes whose children have ADD/ADHD, they might be able to direct you to social skills groups or other therapies that could be helpful to him.
Do a websearch under CHADD and see if there’s a local chapter near you.
There is a film, usually for teachers, called “Last one picked, first one picked on” by Richard Lavoie who posts to this site. You might be able to access that through a local library.