Quote of the Day

	Much of the work currently being undertaken in the field of AD/HD looks at the issue from an external control perspective. The two interventions touted in almost all books and programs about AD/HD (and in several of the articles in this journal issue) are medication and behavior modification. While these approaches are often dramatically effective with young people with AD/HD, both have troubling features that often receive scant attention. Some researchers suggest that when children receive medication, they may attribute their improved behaviors to the pills rather than to their own inner resources (Whalen & Henker, 1980). Others may expect the medication to do all the work Behavior modification programs, which abound, seek to control children’s behaviors through some combination of rewards, punishments, or response costs (the taking away of rewards). Some programs rely on token economy systems, while others use behavior charts, stickers, and even machines. For example, the Attention Training System sits on a child’s desk and automatically awards a point every 60 seconds for on-task behavior. The teacher can also deduct points for bad behavior using a remote control. Students trade points for prizes and privileges. Although behavior modification programs may influence children to change their behavior, they do it for the wrong reason—to get rewards. Such programs can discourage risk taking, blunt creativity, decrease levels of intrinsic motivation, and even impair academic performance (Kohn, 1993). Looking at the Whole Child Most AD/HD researchers and practitioners see children labeled with AD/HD in terms of their deficits. Thousands of studies tell us what these kids can’t do, but few tell us what they can do and who they really are. (Two exceptions are Crammond, 1994 and Hartmann, 1993.) Where are the studies that tell us what these kids are interested in, what kinds of positive learning styles or combinations of intelligences they use successfully in the classroom, and what sorts of artistic, mechanical, scientific, dramatic, or personal contributions they can make to their schools and communities? A new vision of educational interventions is needed to reflect a deeper appreciation for the whole child based upon a wellness paradigm, rather than a deficit perspective rooted in a medical or disease-based model. We need to initiate a new field of study to help children with behavior and attention difficulties—one based upon discovering their strengths rather than fixing their faults. Parents and teachers tell me about cases of AD/HD-labeled kids who are talented dancers, musicians, sculptors, and dramatists. The AD/HD community needs to conduct research on the positive qualities of these children and what their abilities could mean in contributing to their success in the classroom and in life.
	THOMAS ARMSTRONG Armstrong, T. (1998). To Empower, Not Control! A Holistic Approach to AD/HD. Reaching Today's Youth. Vol.2 No.2. pp 3-4