Self-Regulation Interventions for
Children with ADHD
Stasi Renz
University of Pittsburgh
April 20, 2010
Picture from www.sxc.hu
artist ywel
©2010 Stasi Renz
©2010 Stasi Renz
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Positive behavior intervention supports (PBIS) are put in
place to manage and prevent behavioral and academic
struggles for students.
PBIS are integrated into school wide settings and
complied of three tiers: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Tier placement determines the continuous level of
supports needed for students.
Self-regulation interventions can be effective supports
used in the PBIS programs
©2010 Stasi Renz
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What is self-regulation?
How does it relate to ADHD
Four types of self-regulation interventions
How to implement self-regulation
interventions
Do’s and don’ts of these interventions
FAQ’s
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – Difficulty
focusing and maintaining attention, controlling motor
impulses, and organizing/finishing tasks.
On-task behavior – Attending or participating in activities
or assignments during classroom engagements.
Self-regulation – ability to process and control thoughts,
feelings, impulses, and behaviors.
Target behavior – behavior that is in need of change and
can be measured or observed.
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A person’s ability to process and
control thoughts, feelings, impulses,
and behaviors.
Self-regulation interventions
student methods use to “manage,
monitor, record, and/or assess their
behavior or academic achievement
(Reid, 2005, p.362).”
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artist svilen001
©2010 Stasi Renz
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ADHD causes self-regulation difficulties for
children, specifically in academic and behavioral
situations. Self-regulation interventions allows for
the child to implement an intervention to help
improve their self control with academic and
behavioral difficulties.
Problems caused by ADHD have shown
improvements when self-regulation
interventions are implemented.
(Barry & Haraway, 2005; DuPaul & Weyandt, 2006;
Reid et al., 2005; Stahr, Cushing, Lane & Fox, 2006).
©2010 Stasi Renz
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• Self-monitoring
• Self-monitoring plus reinforcement
• Self-management
• Self-reinforcement
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Observing and recording own behavior
Two most common behaviors to selfmonitor are attention and performance
Student may need prompting and support
from teacher in order to self assess the
given behavior.
(Reid et al., 2005)
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Follows the same
steps as selfmonitoring, but in
addition the student
receives awards as a
reinforcement for
completing the target
behavior.
Picture from www.sxc.hu artist iprole
(Reid et al., 2005)
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This award was retrieved from http://parenting.leehansen.com/Printables/School/student-awards.htm
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Observing, recording, and evaluating own
behavior
Teacher and student work together to
decide on focus behavior
Both monitor and record behavior
throughout the day
Review their findings together
(DuPaul et al., 2006; Harlacher, Roberts & Merrell, 2006; Reid et al., 2005)
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Similar to self-monitoring plus
reinforcement because students receive
self-feedback from their observations and
recordings.
Self-reinforcement differs because it allows
the student to determine target behavior
goals and self created awards.
(Reid et al, 2005)
©2010 Stasi Renz
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Matt was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Every
morning in Matt’s second grade classroom, after
the morning routine of the flag salute and
announcements, the children are required to
complete independent seat work. The teacher
consistently notices Matt can not complete the
assignments in the allotted time like his fellow
classmates. The teacher becomes concerned
because Matt has fallen far behind on his
independent work.
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In order to implement self-regulation interventions, it is
important for teachers first understand the student and
their behavioral/academic difficulties.
Teachers must understand the student, their strengths,
and their struggles.
Teachers may conduct an interview with the student to
review and discuss their difficulties and/or use direct
observation.
It is important that the student understands and agrees
with the intervention being used and target behavior
being addressed.
(Reid et al., 2005; Stahr et al., 2006)
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DO:
DON’T:
Be clear and consistent with
the intervention’s instructions
and expectations
Make eye contact with the
student while explaining the
intervention.
Introduce the intervention in
a positive and helpful
manner.
©2010 Stasi Renz
Complicate the explanation
of the intervention.
Set your expectations
higher than the student’s
actual ability.
Assume the child
understands the
intervention just because
you explained it to them.
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Because Matt is having difficulties with his academic
performance (morning assignments) the teacher decides to
introduce a self-monitoring intervention with him.
She discusses the intervention with Matt and allows him to
choose how he wants to monitor his performance.
Matt chooses to monitor the accuracy of his academic task
completion everyday after morning work time.
The teacher provides him with a weekly checklist so he is able
to visually monitor his work and offers him guidance and
praise whenever it may be needed.
With this intervention in place, along with time and practice,
Matt will be able to effectively self-monitor his academic
performance. Furthermore, he has now become consciously
aware of how often he is able to complete his work during
the allotted morning assignment time period.
©2010 Stasi Renz
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Q: How common is ADHD in classroom settings?
A: ADHD has a prevalence rate of anywhere between 3 to 7% within a
classroom setting (Harlacher et al., 2006)
Q: Can self-regulation interventions benefit all children, or only children
with ADHD?
A: Interventions related to self-regulation can be beneficial to
implement with any child who is struggling with their self-regulating
ability. These interventions can also be implemented within a
classroom setting as a classwide intervention so the target children
can remain anonymous to their peers (Harlacher et al., 2006).
Q: Are the four interventions presented in this presentation the only
known types of self-regulation interventions?
A: No, but these are the four forms of self regulation interventions most
commonly implemented and researched (Reid et al., 2005).
©2010 Stasi Renz
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Barry, L. M., & Haraway, D. L. (2005). Self-management and ADHD: A literature review. Behavior
Analyst Today, 6(1), 48-64. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/
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DuPaul, G. J., & Weyandt, L. L. (2006). School‐based intervention for children with attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder: Effects on academic, social, and behavioural functioning.
International Journal of Disability, Development & Education, 53(2), 161-176.
doi:10.1080/10349120600716141
Harlacher, J. E., Roberts, N. E., & Merrell, K. W. (2006). Classwide interventions for students with
ADHD. Teaching Exceptional Children, 39(2), 6-12. Retrieved from http://search.
ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=22970334&site=ehost-live
Reid, R., Trout, A. L., & Schartz, M. (2005). Self-regulation interventions for children with attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity disorder. Exceptional Children, 71(4), 361-377. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=17403801&site=ehostlive
Stahr, B., Cushing, D., Lane, K., & Fox, J. (2006). Efficacy of a function-based intervention in
decreasing off-task behavior exhibited by a student with ADHD. Journal of Positive
Behavior Interventions, 8(4), 201-211. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=22421823&site=ehostlive
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©2010 Stasi Renz