Dartmouth Lecture Series Highlights CBT for Children
The Dartmouth Health Children’s Lecture Series recently featured a session on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as an evidence-based intervention for children. The event reinforced the utility of CBT for teaching skills related to executive function, emotion regulation, and coping strategies in both clinical and coaching settings.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered an effective, evidence-based intervention for children with ADHD, often used to improve executive functioning deficits in areas like planning, organization, and emotional regulation. - A 2024 meta-analysis found that combining CBT with medication led to greater improvements in ADHD symptoms compared to medication alone. While medication addresses core symptoms, CBT builds practical skills and habits for long-term behavioral change. - Parent training is a critical component of CBT for children, especially for those under 12. Programs like Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and Parent Management Training (PMT) teach parents to use positive reinforcement and consistent consequences to improve a child's behavior and reduce family stress. - A neurodiversity-affirming approach to CBT reframes ADHD as a natural variation in human cognition, focusing on leveraging strengths and self-advocacy rather than solely correcting deficits. This can involve adapting traditional CBT methods to better suit neurodivergent clients' needs and identities. - Specific CBT techniques for children with ADHD include cognitive restructuring to challenge negative self-talk, breaking large assignments into smaller steps, and using visual schedules and checklists to support task completion. - The Dartmouth Health lecture series is part of a broader Pediatric Mental Health Access Initiative at the institution, which also includes a teleconsultation line for pediatricians to confer with child psychiatrists and video modules to give parents evidence-based skills. - Research indicates that improvements in executive functioning during the course of CBT are linked to better treatment outcomes for children with anxiety, suggesting a similar mechanism may be at play for other conditions.
