Homework is often an integral part of any family therapy or positive parenting program, but parents and families don’t always follow through on psychologists’ suggested readings, behavioral charts, videos or other work outside sessions, says Mary Ann McCabe, PhD, of the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, who sees patients through her independent practice.
And, unfortunately, in some cases, children and parents who do not complete targeted assignments may not find as much success in therapy, she says. Here are four ways to increase families’ compliance:
- Homework by another name. One of the best ways to motivate families to complete their therapy assignments is simply to call it something other than "homework," such as an "action plan," recommends McCabe, who is also an affiliate faculty member in psychology at George Mason University.
She also encourages parents to record any recommended work in their smartphones at the end of each session and underscores the value of each exercise. "You have to help them understand that practice is critical to acquiring any new skill or habit," she says. "Tie the homework to moving forward, making progress in therapy work and identifying obstacles." - Tackle motivation. Alan E. Kazdin, PhD, director of the Yale Parenting Center, takes a different tack to boost homework compliance. He tells parents and families, "You might not be ready or have the time for this" or "I’m not sure you can do this yet." Research shows that this "establishing operation" phrase can increase a client’s motivation and likelihood for completing the work, he says.
- Deadlines and prompts. Families are also more successful at completing their out-of-session assignments when therapists help them map out when they will work on the assignment and, when possible, prompt them via phone or email a few hours before the deadline to remind them of the plan, Kazdin says.
- Recognize the effort. Most important, both McCabe and Kazdin agree, is reviewing the assignments in the next session—and recognizing and praising the client for completing them. "No one likes wasting time, so if you don’t discuss it, it didn’t need to be done," McCabe says. —Amy Novotney
