Families: Applications of Social Learning to Family Life

This is an excellent primer on behavior modification--that is, rewarding a child for his or her good choices and withholding privileges for lack of compliance with basic family requirements. It is, as the previous reviewer suggested, not just for families with "troubled" children. The book was suggested to us many years ago, and although it is itself more than 30 years old, the lessons here are timeless. As our source noted when referring us to this text, it should be required reading for every parent, and prospective parent. In addition to outlining behavior modification techniques, the book provides excellent suggestions as to how to otherwise "reinforce" the good behaviors and discourage the bad ones.

FAMILIES has been around a long time, but it is still the book I us most when working with troubled families. Based upon social learning theory FAMILIES presents a clear, consise explaination of how problem behaviors are created, and how they can be extinguished. Written in simple language, any literate parent can understand the simple but profound lessons contained in this book. During my 20 years as a social worker and educatior I have purchased numerous copies of this book and handed them out to parents who are struggling with their children. I use FAMILIES primarily to help parents who are having problems with their children, but I recommend it to all parents. In a kind way the book illustrates how troubled children are sometimes created by parental mistakes.