Abstract

Parents, teachers and other professionals often struggle to know how to deal with disruptive, abusive or aggressive behaviour. This book addresses the urgent need for a realistic, practical and effective approach to dealing with severe disruptive behaviour in children and adolescents.

Adapting the principles of non-violent resistance originally advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, the book provides de-escalation techniques which empower the adult and unburden the distressed child. The authors outline the theoretical basis upon which the approach was developed, and explain how and why it can be so effective. Case studies demonstrate how the approach can be used to reach more successful places with unhappy and disruptive children of different ages. A separate section for parents provides useful advice on how to take the theoretical material and use it to deal with problematic behaviour in everyday life.

As effective as it is original, this approach will empower desperate parents and despairing caregivers by equipping them with hands-on tools to contain, counter and positively direct the aggression and opposition which they face from children in distress.

More readable than many of their counterparts, Avraham-Krehwinkel and Aldridge have presented some interesting strategies here for dealing with aggressive and hostile children and young people. Their parent-centred focus comprehensively outlines a range of techniques that can be used to deal with complex family relationships...The Munro review of child protection concerns all professionals who make judgments about the best interests of children. Pertinents to this, the authors offer observations from a series of case studies that are directed at antisocial behaviours and situations where families are struggling with parent-child relationships. The latter half of the book includes a clear and extensive guide for how parent can employ the principles of the proposed approach, which could be a useful resource for practitioners.
Children and Young People Now
Dr. Carmelite Avraham-Krehwinkel is an affiliate researcher at the Nordoff Robbins Centre in Witten, Germany.  She has many years of experience in child, adolescent and family psychotherapy, and specialises in working with children with behavioural problems. David Aldridge is co-director of the Nordoff Robbins Centre in Witten, Germany. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and co-editor of the interdisciplinary journal "Music and Medicine".
Violence answered with more violence only begets even more violence. "A Non-Violent Resistance Approach with Children in Distress: A Guide for Parents and Professionals" is a guide to dealing with disruptive and aggressive behavior from children and how to discourage this behavior in a way that will leave to a more harmonious household. Aimed at both parents and child psychologists, the information is expertly researched with plenty of thoughts and theories to help curb this inappropriate behavior.
The Midwest Book Review
I believe it may substantially complement and enrich current approaches to avoiding and managing violence while supporting children and adults with autism.
Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders.
It contains some very good explanatory information about the principles adopted when working with the model, with excellent advice on how to deal with the child's resistance to the parent's methods, even suggesting ways to anticipate and prepare for the child's negative response in the initial stages... Overall, I liked this book and the model, and found myself thinking of families and young people I am currently involved with for whom this approach may effect change... I believe the methods described on how to increase a parent's presence in the life of their child; the non-acceptance of abusive behaviours and how to communicate this to the child without escalation or provocation, and the return to the parent being in control of the household are all outcomes professionals are trying to achieve day in and day out. This will be an excellent guide on how to go about achieving this where parents have the capacity to follow through the methods described.
Rostrum
What immediately appeals to me about this book is the practical, child-centred nature of the approach... This is an important book offering a very specific set of ideas, which can, however, be interpreted in different ways to provide strategies that are flexible enough to meet the needs of individual children and families.
Child Abuse Review