title: Activity group counseling for learning-disabled children with behavior problems.
abstract: One of the most difficult problems confronting occupational therapists, teachers, and parents in dealing with latency-age learning-disabled children is handling oppositional behavior. Pre-adolescent boys, in particular, frequently have difficulty working cooperatively in a group, relating to peers, staying with a task, and seeing the consequences of their actions. This paper provides a rationale for treatment of children in groups and describes the development and early results of an activity group approach to counseling learning-disabled children with behavior problems using Gazda's developmental model. Group members showed improved ability to relate with siblings and peers; more mature and cooperative behavior; greater independence and impulse control; and increased verbal expression of anger. Parent and teacher feedback on behavior changes was positive.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003376:Counseling; D006801:Humans; D007837:Latency Period, Psychological; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D010989:Play Therapy; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group