Compliance Training

Description of the Strategy

A child's reaction to adult instructions has always been viewed through a developmental lens. If the child is an infant, one assumes that receptive language levels are insufficient to equate nonresponsiveness with willful defiance; a year later, American parents often view the same child's indifference as an annoying yet age-appropriate manifestation of the “terrible twos”; in contrast, a 4-year-old child who angrily shouts “No” and physically resists adult guidance may find himself or herself referred to a professional for treatment. Indeed, there is a point in the social development of children where even the most patient parent can no longer tolerate child disobedience. Consequently, child noncompliance is one of the most common referral problems among parents seeking professional help ...