As many as 62% of kids with ADHD receive a diagnosis and a prescription for medication without a recommendation for any type of parent behavior training or family therapy, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. In a recent ADDitude survey, 57% of parents said they had participated in parent training. Of those, an astounding 93% recommended it.
Caregivers exert the greatest influence on their kids’ lives, and, let’s be honest, raising a child with ADHD can be extremely challenging. Parents may become frustrated, lose their temper, make allowances for inappropriate behaviors, or just give up in the face of relentless negative habits and attitudes. This is where parent behavior training, also called behavioral parent training (BPT), can help.
Moving from Reactivity to Proactivity
Parent training refers to a series of interventions designed to help caregivers learn effective strategies to manage their own emotions as well as their child’s behavior. The goals revolve around using positive reinforcement, setting effective boundaries, and providing scaffolding to increase positive connections, reduce negativity, and enhance a child’s successes.
This type of training helps parents learn to be proactive rather than reactive. The reactive parent responds to a child’s behaviors with threats of punishment based on intense feelings rather than logical thinking. Punishment fails to work in the long term because children with ADHD will need other options in their toolkit.
[Free Download: Your Guide to Parent Training Programs]
A good parent behavior training program can do the following:
- Teach parents real-world strategies for positive reinforcement and consistent discipline.
- Teach self-regulation, de-escalation, and calming strategies.
- Improve parent-child communication through reflective listening and accountability.
- Help parents set realistic expectations and routines based on their child’s skills and abilities.
- Replace reactive parenting with proactive strategies that rely on incentives rather than threats.
6 Popular Training Programs
The most effective parent training programs increase positive parent-child interactions by elevating the quality of attachment, the ability to communicate effectively, and the willingness to set and enforce boundaries. Here are six programs popular among families living with ADHD.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
Format: A therapist in an observation room watches parents interact with their child in real time. Parents wear an earpiece to receive in-the-moment parenting strategies from the therapist.
Goals:
- To help your child feel calm, confident, and secure in your relationship
- To learn how to be confident and calm in the face of your child’s most difficult behaviors
The Incredible Years
Format: Trained facilitators use video vignettes to present content and stimulate discussion. Separate programs are offered for parents of toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children.
Goals:
- To strengthen parent-child interactions
- To foster parents’ ability to promote kids’ social and emotional development
- To reduce school dropout rates and delinquent behaviors
- To promote academic success
[Free Webinar: “The Power of Behavioral Parent Training for ADHD”]
Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)
Format: This online program is designed for two groups: parents of children ages 12 and under, and parents of children ages 10 to 16. The program provides a mix of videos, worksheets, tips, and activities that take 30 to 60 minutes to complete.
Goals:
- To set discipline guidelines
- To build parent confidence
- To raise happy children
Helping the Noncompliant Child
Format: Training sessions for parents and children ages 3 to 8. Skills are taught using active teaching methods, such as extensive demonstration, role play, and real-time practice.
Goals: To foster positive interaction by:
- Reducing parental coercive behaviors
- Giving positive attention to the child for appropriate behavior
- Setting limits and consequences
Parent Management Training
Format: Parents of children with moderate to severe behavioral difficulties work with a certified trainer online, in person, or over the phone.
Goals:
- To teach parents how to help their children cultivate positive behavior
- To learn how to effectively deal with anxiety and negative behavior
GenerationPMTO
Format: GenerationPMTO is an intervention program that is provided to individual families or parent groups, in person or via telehealth. The structure of individual training programs differs by location, both nationally and internationally.
Goals:
- To promote social skills that reduce delinquency, deviant peer associations, and mood disorders in parents and youths
Tips for Finding a Provider
Ask these key questions when interviewing a prospective therapist, coach, or program administrator:
- What is your education in a particular parent behavior training model? Do you hold a certificate, license, or other accreditation in your field?
- What is your training in ADHD and child development?
- How do you monitor and support your clients’ progress?
- What additional support is available after the program ends?
Behavioral Parent Training (BPT): Next Steps
- Free Download: 5 Ways to Improve Emotional Control at Home
- Read: How Does Behavior Therapy Work?
- Read: When Behavioral Parent Training is Working — But Tough to Maintain
- Sign Up: Parenting Class for ADHD Families
Sharon Saline, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and author.
Ryan Wexelblatt, LCSW, is a school social worker, camp director, and father to a son with ADHD and learning differences.
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Updated on May 19, 2025