Childhood emotional and behavioural difficulties—including severe temper tantrums, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), conduct problems, and severe emotional dysregulation—are among the most distressing challenges confronting families and educators. Moving decisively away from antiquated moralistic views that label struggling children as “manipulative,” “defiant,” or “bad,” modern developmental clinical psychology is anchored in Ross Greene’s transformative paradigm: “Kids do well if they can.” If a child is exhibiting explosive or challenging behavior, it is because they have lagging cognitive skills (in flexibility, frustration tolerance, problem solving, or emotional regulation) meeting demands that exceed their capacity. The Child Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Psychoeducation Module delivers 9 structured video lessons covering Greene’s Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), the ALSUP assessment, and empathetic co-regulation.
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This digital self-help exercise and informational guide are intended solely for educational, psychoeducational, and general personal wellness purposes. It does not constitute medical advice, clinical psychological assessment, psychiatric treatment, or a formal therapeutic relationship. Wellbeing exercises affect individuals differently; discontinue any somatic or cognitive practice that elicits distress and consult a licensed healthcare professional.
Emergency Crisis Resources: If you are experiencing acute psychological distress, panic crisis, or thoughts of self-harm, please reach out immediately to qualified emergency support services: Tele-MANAS (14416 / 1800-891-4416), KIRAN Mental Health Support (1800-599-0019, 24×7), or National Emergency Services (112 in India, 988 in the US/Canada).
Ross Greene’s Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS)
Greene’s empirical model shifts the question from “What reward or punishment will force this child to comply?” to “What lagging skills and unsolved problems are triggering this child’s distress?” Using the Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems (ALSUP), parents and teachers identify predictable crisis triggers before explosive meltdowns happen.
The 3 Plans of Adult Response
- Plan A (Unilateral Adult Imposition): Imposing adult authority through threats, grounding, or yelling. High risk of escalating confrontation and teaches zero cognitive problem-solving skills.
- Plan C (Dropping the Expectation): Temporarily removing an expectation for low-priority issues to de-escalate crisis arousal.
- Plan B (Collaborative Problem Solving – The Gold Standard):
- The Empathy Step: Gathering information to deeply understand the child’s perspective and concern.
- Define Adult Concerns: Calmly stating the adult’s concern (safety, health, learning).
- The Invitation: Brainstorming a mutually satisfactory, realistic solution together.
Content published on Kriyasya Pulse represents editorial and educational insights uniting traditional wisdom with contemporary research. Readers are encouraged to apply discernment and seek qualified guidance where appropriate.