Book Review: Bloomquist, M. L. (2006). Skills Training for Children with Behavior Problems: A Parent and Practitioner Guidebook (rev. ed.). New York: Guilford. xii pp., 242 pp

AuthorAlida S. Westman
Published date01 December 2008
Date01 December 2008
DOIhttp://doi.org/10.1177/0734016808319492
Subject MatterArticles
focus of research in demography and economics for three decades but does not seem to
have been absorbed by psychologists.
In sum, the strength of the book lies in the literature review. That section poses interesting
and important questions, but the empirical analyses do not provide compelling answers.
Michael E. Foster
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Bloomquist, M. L. (2006). Skills Training for Children with
Behavior Problems: A Parent and Practitioner Guidebook
(rev. ed.). New York: Guilford. xii pp., 242 pp.
DOI: 10.1177/0734016808319492
This book is a self-help guide for educated and psychologically healthy parents whose chil-
dren have adjustment problems and are struggling. If a youth has more severe disorders, par-
ents are urged to get professional help. The author uses his clinical and research experience as
the director of the Attention and Behavior Problems Clinic and as an assistant professor in the
Department of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota to provide realistic and clear vignettes
which illustrate different problems. The plans suggested are based on empirically supported
concepts, but the book as a self-help guide has not been empirically validated.
Chapters 1 and 2 provide background information. There are many excellent descriptions of
problem behaviors, tables which compare the characteristics of the struggling and the suc-
cessful child in self-control and in social, emotional, and academic development during differ-
ent developmental stages. Similarly, stressed and coping parents are compared, as are stressed
and coping families. The focus is on defining target behaviors which can be changed to
enhance functioning. Chapter 2 ends with rating scales and outlines of the plans covered in
subsequent chapters. Chapters 3 through 8 are each devoted to one problem area (self-control,
social, emotional, or academic development, parental well-being, family relationships), and
each outlines three specific plans. For example, for promoting social development, the first
plan involves teaching social behavior, the second teaching social problem-solving skills, and
the third promoting positive peer affiliations. Chapter 7 is concerned with improving parental
well-being through developing and then implementing skills to deal with stress and changing
unhelpful parental thought patterns. Chapter 8 indicates how to improve the parent–child bond
and family interaction patterns, including how to provide for time-outs when interactions have
become volatile. Chapter 9 provides common sense ideas which help parents be persistent.
Chapters 10 and 11 deal with professional help. Throughout the book, sentences which require
attention grab it by being printed in bold letters.
At the end of each chapter are very helpful worksheets which implement the ideas of the
chapter. Frequently there is a sample which is filled out. For example, at the end of the
chapter on academic performance, there is a blank and a filled-out sample survey that a par-
ent can provide for a teacher to fill out, so there is daily exchange of information between
them. However, some of the worksheets require extensive tutoring by an adult who is
mature and healthy psychologically. For example, a worksheet on anger management
Book Reviews 575

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