by Ross W. Greene · 2021
Collaborative Problem Solving for inflexible, easily-frustrated children.
Best for: Parents of children whose behaviour looks "oppositional" but isn't responding to ordinary discipline.
Ad / Affiliate link: We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our full reading list.
Greene's central insight — "kids do well if they can" — has shifted how a generation of clinicians think about challenging behaviour. The traditional model says kids misbehave because they're not motivated to behave; Greene argues they misbehave because they lack the underlying skills (flexibility, frustration tolerance, problem-solving) that situation requires.
His Collaborative Problem Solving model gives parents a step-by-step framework for identifying which skills are lagging and working with the child — not on the child — to build them. It's particularly useful for ADHD children with co-morbid oppositional behaviour, which is one of the most common (and most exhausting) presentations.
We've watched families transform their dynamic using this book. It's not a quick fix — the work is slow — but the framework is genuinely different from "use better consequences."
A note. This is reading material, not clinical treatment. If you’re working through something difficult, books complement therapy — they don’t replace it. Book a session with our team for personalised support.
More books in adhd parenting.
Russell Barkley
The evidence-based parenting benchmark, by the field's leading researcher.
Peg Dawson & Richard Guare
Executive skills framework for children — practical tools every ADHD parent should have.
Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
The most-recommended parenting book in evidence-based child psychology.
Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
Companion to Whole-Brain Child — how to discipline without breaking connection.
Russell Barkley
The benchmark evidence-based guide for parents — covers diagnosis, behaviour management, school advocacy, and family stress.
Colleen Alexander-Roberts
Accessible, structured guide for parents navigating day-to-day life with an ADHD child without professional jargon.
Our team sees adults, adolescents, and children in person at Bella Vista and via telehealth across NSW. Medicare rebates with a GP Mental Health Care Plan; NDIS self- and plan-managed; private health depending on fund.