Creating a Behavioral Contract with Your Adolescent
Susan K.
(770) 668-0350 ext.223
Unlike young children, adolescents often require a parenting approach that allows = them to discuss their viewpoints and negotiate with their parents concerning rules and privileges. The process of negotiation can be a powerful learning experience for adolescents, teaching them the communication skills they will need later in life to deal effectively with people with whom they will interact. Negotiating rules and privileges can also be a powerful parenting tool for teaching responsibility to young people, giving them opportunities to make choices and take the consequences for their choices.
One way to implement this negotiation process is to develop a behavioral contract that documents the agreements made between parents and adolescents as well as the consequences that will occur if the agreements are broken. The following are suggestions for creating behavioral contracts that work:
1. Put all agreements in writing. Otherwise, there may be confusion about the rules and/or the consequences, leading to noncompliance and arguments.
2. Focus the contract on one or two rules or behaviors.
3. Define rules, privileges, and behaviors concretely. Adolescents may find loopholes in rules if they are not detailed and specific, again leading to arguments and noncompliance.
4. Define consequences concretely. Use both positive and negative consequences.
5. Use the adolescent’s input and expertise to put the written contract together.
6. Sign the contract.
7. Follow through with consequences consistently. Do not put consequences into the contract that you cannot or will not enforce.