Social competence training for children

1. Introduction

Version followed: Petermann & Petermann, Training mit aggressiven Kindern (TAK), 14th edition 2023 (Beltz; checked against the 13th edition 2012), and Petermann & Petermann, Training mit sozial unsicheren Kindern (TSU), 11th edition 2015 (Beltz). Older editions (TSU 1983/1986, TAK 2005) are cited only where they add procedural detail.

"Social competence training for children (Petermann)" is not one single therapy but a family of manualised, multimodal cognitive-behavioural programmes from Franz and Ulrike Petermann (Bremen; TAK from 1978, TSU from 1983). The two clinical core programmes share one architecture: a few intake contacts, an individual phase, then a small-group phase, plus mandatory parent and family counselling run in parallel. TAK is for children aged about 6–12 with aggressive or oppositional behaviour. TSU is for children aged 5–12 with social insecurity: social anxiety, separation anxiety and generalised anxiety. Related preventive and adolescent spin-offs (Verhaltenstraining für Schulanfänger, Verhaltenstraining in der Grundschule, Training mit Jugendlichen) are outside the scope of this guide. [source: Beltz TAK sample 2023; Beltz TSU sample 2015; HfH profile]

Core idea of change: socially competent behaviour gradually makes problem behaviour unnecessary. Change happens when (a) arousal is lowered (relaxation as a precondition), (b) perception of self and others becomes more accurate, (c) the child learns self-instruction, problem solving and concrete social skills through modelling, structured role play and graded practice, (d) new behaviour is reinforced by a token system and by parents at home, and (e) for anxious children, avoidance is stopped and feared situations are confronted. TAK maps its goals onto Kaufmann's four-stage process model of aggression (perception, response selection, inhibition, anticipating consequences) and argues that the earliest stage gives the most leverage. TSU defines social competence as freedom from anxiety (self-concept and self-efficacy, after Bandura) plus social skills. [source: HfH profile; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.1; everybodywiki TAK summary]

2. Framework

Overall sequence (both programmes) [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3; HfH profile]

Phase	Goal	Typical dose	Format
0. Parent intake and diagnostics	Get to know the family, behaviour analysis, check indication, agree preliminary goals	1–2 parent contacts (inferred) [uncertain]	Parents alone
1. First contact with child	Relationship through play, testing, show the rooms, explain work and play, sign the training contract, set up the Trainingsmappe	About 3 × 50 min	Individual
2. Individual phase	Build the cognitive and self-regulation prerequisites for the group	TAK: 5 modules, at least 10 × 50 or 5 × 100 min (8–13 sessions in total including first contact). TSU: 5 modules, about 10 × 50 min where content must be spread out	Individual
3. Group phase	Practise social skills in graded role play with peers as models; transfer	TAK: 7 modules, at least 14 × 50 or 7 × 100 min. TSU: 8 modules	3–4 children, ages 1–2 years apart, mixed sex where possible
Parallel: parent and family counselling	Support transfer to home, change parenting and communication, stop avoidance (TSU)	TAK: 4 modules, at least 4 × 100 min (about 6 × 100 min in a later description). TSU: 5 modules, at least 5 × 100 min	Parents; whole family from about age 8–9
Follow-up	Check stability of child and family change	1 session about 8 weeks (8–12 weeks) after the end	Whole family

Total duration is typically 6–8 months of weekly sessions, up to 10 months for complex cases. [source: HfH profile; everybodywiki TAK summary]

Session length and number (TAK) [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]

Ages 6–9: 50-minute sessions can work; from age 9, 100 minutes is recommended.
Concentration or learning difficulties (especially under 9): 50 minutes.
Stable, generalised aggression: 100 minutes (needed if you use provocation in role play).
Younger children with moderate to high severity: up to 10 × 100 or 20 × 50 minutes. Older children with mild problems: about 6 × 100 or 12 × 50 minutes. Learning disability can roughly double the count.
Plan up to five extra sessions per phase in the contract, because the contract must be kept.

Session length (TSU) [source: Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3]: 100 minutes for school-age children; 50 minutes for preschoolers, children with cognitive limitations or very severe anxiety. There are separate preschool versions (5 individual and 8 group modules) with guide characters for continuity.

Fixed four-phase session structure (individual sessions, TAK) [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]

Review the Detektivbogen (about 5 min).
Relaxation with a Kapitän Nemo story (about 10–15 min).
Work phase with module material and role play (about 25–55 min).
Exchange tokens for play minutes; free play (about 10–25 min).

TSU also uses a fixed four-phase sequence with the same three core elements (Detektivbogen, rest and relaxation ritual, token programme). Its exact phase timings are not drawn on. [source: Beltz TSU TOC 5.2; sample ch. 4.3] [uncertain]

Criteria for moving between phases

Individual → group: the child has the prerequisites for group work (reads social cues, can self-observe and self-instruct, has a stable relationship with the therapist). For TSU, individual work comes first because insecure children can be overwhelmed by a group at the start. [source: Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3]
Within the token programme: one rule for the first 2–3 sessions, then a second rule. Train a rule until it is shown reliably. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]
Module to module: TAK individual modules run in a fixed order. Modules can be shortened, stretched over several 50-minute sessions or varied (photo stories instead of video, puppet play instead of role play). [source: Beltz TAK sample; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3]
End of treatment: there are no formal numeric exit criteria in the sources used. The manuals use pre, post and follow-up measures (TAK: SDQ, CBCL). Use those plus the attainment of contract goals. [source: socialnet review; synthesis]

Indication [source: everybodywiki TAK summary; Beltz TAK and TSU product pages]

TAK: aggressive or oppositional behaviour, ages 6–12 (ICD-10 conduct disorders, hyperkinetic conduct disorder, mixed disorders of conduct and emotions).
TSU: social insecurity, social anxiety, separation anxiety, generalised anxiety, ages 5–12. The 1983 version distinguished two clinical types: children with refusal behaviour, and children with passivity and deprivation. It expected slower effects in younger, learning-disabled and passively withdrawn children, who need more sessions. [source: pedocs reviews 1984, 1987]
Settings: outpatient psychotherapy, child guidance, children's homes, inpatient units. The manuals also give notes for schools.

3. Guiding principles

[source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4; pedocs review 1984; Therapie-Tools sample; socialnet review]

Relaxation first. Lowered arousal is the precondition for every other step. In practice, open every session with the calming ritual before any demand.
Graded hierarchy of demands. Goals move from easy to hard, and situations become progressively more difficult. In practice, never start with the child's hardest situation.
Rituals and predictability. The same session sequence and recurring materials give structure. In practice, keep the four phases in the same order every time.
Individual before group. Build trust and cognitive prerequisites alone, then practise with peers. In practice, do not put a child into the group who cannot yet self-observe.
Transparency and keeping agreements. The therapist explains and justifies the approach and keeps every announced event. In practice, if you promised play minutes or a session, deliver them.
Mutual obligation. Child, therapist and parents each have duties. In practice, name everyone's tasks in the contract.
Acceptance of the person, not the behaviour. Show interest, remember what the child tells you, give clear positive feedback, take up useful suggestions. In practice, mention last week's detail the child shared.
Hand over responsibility gradually. Give the child tasks they can master; success builds self-efficacy and trust. In practice, let the child set part of the Detektivbogen task.
Self-observation before self-change. The Detektivbogen first asks for honest observation, not immediate improvement. In practice, praise accurate reporting even when the behaviour itself went badly.
Contingency: work earns play. Effort in the work phase earns play minutes. Only play minutes are exchangeable, not material rewards, to avoid false motivation. In practice, never trade points for sweets or toys.
Positive target behaviours. Rules are phrased as practisable positive behaviours. In practice, write "I let others finish" rather than "no interrupting".
Problem talk is brief and non-confrontational at first. Do not open with school or parent reports. In practice, ask what the child knows about why they come before you bring in others' complaints.
Realism. Training must touch the child's real problem behaviour (TAK: planned provocation in role play; TSU: confrontation with feared situations). In practice, move from material about other children to the child's own situations.
Avoidance maintains insecurity (TSU). Skills training comes first, and exposure is added as needed. In practice, coach parents not to permit avoidance.
Parents as co-therapists. Parent counselling is mandatory and runs in parallel. In practice, do not start the child phase without a parent agreement.
Flexibility within the manual. Modules are a modular kit (Baukastensystem) to be tailored to the case. In practice, choose materials that match the child's own problem situations.
Paper materials. The Trainingsmappe is deliberately kept on paper, because handling and making materials supports memory. In practice, let the child decorate and name their folder.
Homework is part of therapy. Assignments are agreed in writing, start easy, and are reviewed at the start of every session. In practice, never skip the Detektivbogen review.

4. Intervention inventory

The manuals contain worksheets, video and photo stories, picture cards and the separately published Kapitän-Nemo-Geschichten. These are licensed materials: use the originals and do not recreate them. All steps below are paraphrased. All example wording is illustrative. Module contents for TAK come from the 2023 sample chapter and secondary summaries. For TSU, only the module structure, goals and methods were reachable, not module-by-module content; this is marked where relevant.

A. Core elements used in every session (TAK and TSU)

4.1 Parent intake and indication

Purpose: Establish the indication, build a functional (behaviour-analytic) picture of the problem and agree preliminary goals before the child is seen. [source: everybodywiki TAK summary; pedocs review 1984; Therapie-Tools sample ch. 1]
Steps: (1) At the phone registration, take contact details and a short problem summary only. (2) Meet the parents first: get acquainted, explore the problem, and if therapy seems indicated do a symptom-focused behaviour analysis (situations, antecedents, consequences, how the family reacts). (3) Gather a brief history of family and development (the Therapie-Tools collection has a short parent questionnaire). (4) Request records from school, physicians or youth welfare only after the exploration and with written consent. (5) Agree a general therapy contract and explain that parent counselling is compulsory. (6) For TSU, assess behaviour, attitudes and environment with questionnaires, a parent interview and a structured behaviour-observation sheet. For TAK, use parent interview, child interview and behaviour observation, with SDQ and CBCL as pre-measures. Licensed instruments named in the manuals (e.g. EAS, LEV-K, AFS, BSU) should be used from their published versions.
Example language (illustrative): "Before I meet your son, I'd like to understand exactly when the outbursts happen, what happens just before and what everyone does afterwards."
Watch for: Parents who expect you to "fix" the child alone: settle their obligations now. Problems the programme does not cover (e.g. primary ADHD without aggression, severe trauma) may need a different or additional treatment. [synthesis]

4.2 First contact with the child (about 3 × 50 min)

Purpose: Build the relationship and complete diagnostics without making the child feel judged. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5.3]
Steps: Session 1: make contact through play; gently explore the child's expectations and view of the problem; begin testing. Session 2: continue testing. Session 3 (and more if needed): once the indication is confirmed and the parents have decided, give the child first information about the training and conclude the training contract. Throughout: show the two rooms (a low-distraction work area and a play area) and explain that work in the work area earns play in the play area. After cooperative testing, allow 10–15 minutes of free play of the child's choice.
Example language (illustrative): "This table is where we work. Over there is where we play. Every time you work well here, you earn play time there."
Watch for: Do not confront the child with school or parent complaints in these sessions. The child should leave the first session wanting to come back.

4.3 Three conversation types

Purpose: Use the right kind of talk for each moment. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]
Steps: (1) Problem-oriented talk: brief, incidental, not confrontational at first. Ask what the child knows about why they are here and name positive goals. Fold the child's own goals into the contract but hold minimum goals. (2) Therapy talk: structured by the training materials. The child decides how much personal material to share. Address reported behaviour openly and link it to how others react. (3) Unstructured talk in free play: at the end of each session, notice wishes, fears and favourite figures and use them later (e.g. in role plays or reinforcers).
Example language (illustrative): "What did your mum tell you about why you're coming here?" / "When you kicked the ball at him, what did the others do next?"
Watch for: Lecturing during free play. Free play is a reward, not a hidden therapy session.

4.4 Training contract (Trainingsvertrag)

Purpose: Make the frame, goals and mutual obligations explicit and binding; create predictability. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; everybodywiki TAK summary]
Steps: (1) Explain each element in turn: the rule list, Detektivbogen, picture and self-instruction cards, the underwater theme of the relaxation stories, work and play. (2) Negotiate inside a fixed frame. Record the child's wishes; hold firm on key goals and minimum requirements. (3) Write in content, number and length of sessions, and the rights and duties of child and therapist. Build in up to five reserve sessions per phase. (4) Both sign; each keeps a copy. (5) Straight afterwards, choose with the child the first concrete everyday situation for the Detektivbogen.
Example language (illustrative): "You've asked for the last ten minutes to be football. I can agree to that. What I need from you is that you bring your detective sheet every week."
Watch for: Promising things you cannot keep (session numbers, rewards). A broken promise damages the core principle of reliability.

4.5 Trainingsmappe (training folder)

Purpose: Make therapy tangible, show progress, anchor homework review. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; Therapie-Tools sample]
Steps: Give the child a simple paper A4 folder to name and decorate (photos, drawings). Start it with the test results, the completed rule list, the first Detektivbogen task and the picture part of the Kapitän Nemo sheet. Add each session's sheets and homework. Bring it to every session.
Example language (illustrative): "This folder is yours. Give it a name. Everything we do goes in here, so you can see how far you've come."
Watch for: Lost folders usually mean low family support for homework. Address this in parent counselling. [synthesis]

4.6 Detektivbogen (detective sheet: self-observation homework)

Purpose: Build honest self-perception in real situations; later a vehicle for behaviour practice and (TSU) graded confrontation between sessions. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; Therapie-Tools sample; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3]
Steps: (1) With the child, pick one concrete everyday situation in which they have difficulty. Describe the situation and the behaviour concretely. (2) The child observes it daily until the next session, as a detective "on their own trail". The task is to notice, not yet to change. (3) Review it at the start of every session (about 5 min). Praise any effort or partial completion. (4) Repeat the task if it was not done, misunderstood or needs sharpening. (5) Over time, move from observation to 1–2 practice tasks (trying a new behaviour), set by the child alone or together. In TSU these become small graded confrontation steps.
Example language (illustrative): "This week you're a detective. Every day after break, write down whether someone took your ball and what you did. Just notice; you don't have to change anything yet."
Watch for: Socially desirable "all good" reports: praise accuracy, not good news. Tasks that are too vague or too hard. It is working when the child reports specific situations and their own part in them.

4.7 Ruhe- und Entspannungsritual: Kapitän-Nemo stories

Purpose: Lower arousal and improve concentration before the demanding work phase; give a calm, predictable start. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; Saxony materials list; everybodywiki TAK summary]
Steps: (1) Before the first story, build the setting with the child: the underwater world, diving equipment, the guide figure Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus (there is a picture sheet for the folder). (2) In phase 2 of each session, read the chosen story aloud (10–20 minutes depending on the story) while the child rests. (3) Afterwards, bring the child back gently and move into the work phase. The stories use imaginative relaxation; a secondary source says they build in autogenic-style heaviness and warmth suggestions. [uncertain: posture, room set-up and the exact induction and return sequence are in manual section 5.4.3]
Example language (illustrative): "Let's get the diving gear on and climb into the Nautilus. You can close your eyes or look at a spot on the floor while I read."
Watch for: Children who giggle or cannot settle: shorten the story and keep the ritual anyway. It is working when the child settles faster and asks for the story. If imagery triggers fear (e.g. of deep water), choose another story or setting. [synthesis]

4.8 Rule list (Regelliste)

Purpose: Define 1–2 positive target behaviours for the token programme. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]
Steps: (1) Go through the list of basic socially competent behaviours and behaviours that make aggression harder. (2) Help the child identify their own gaps and phrase them as positive, practisable targets. (3) Add a rule the child has not yet seen as important, if needed. (4) Start with one rule; add a second after 2–3 sessions.
Example language (illustrative): "Which of these is hardest for you: waiting your turn, or letting others finish talking? Let's pick that one to earn points with."
Watch for: Negatively phrased rules ("don't…") are hard to reinforce. Rewrite them as "I do…".

4.9 Token programme: prompt feedback (tally marks)

Purpose: Give immediate contingent reinforcement during the work phase. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]
Steps: (1) Each time the child shows the target behaviour, make a tally mark at once and say briefly what was good. (2) A fixed number of marks equals a fixed amount of play time. Set the exchange rate by how frequent and difficult the behaviour is and how long the session is. (3) Exchange marks for play minutes in phase 4.
Example language (illustrative): "That's a mark: you let me finish my sentence."
Watch for: Marks given for vague "being good" lose meaning. Name the behaviour each time.

4.10 Token programme: self- and external rating (0–2 points)

Purpose: Train realistic self-evaluation as well as the target behaviour. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; everybodywiki TAK summary]
Steps: (1) Interrupt the work phase about every 10 minutes. (2) Child and therapist each rate the rule 0, 1 or 2 points and give reasons. (3) If they agree, record the score. If not, each writes their own score; add them and halve the sum. (4) Worked examples from the manual: 50-minute session = about 2 ratings, maximum 4 points, about 3 play minutes per point. 100-minute session = 3 ratings, maximum 6 points, about 4 minutes per point. (5) With two rules, halve the combined total. (6) For instrumentally motivated children, a point deduction for the problem behaviour can be added. (7) Exchange points only for play minutes.
Example language (illustrative): "Time to check. How many points do you give yourself for listening: 0, 1 or 2? Why? I'd say 1, because you interrupted once. So we add 2 and 1 and halve it."
Watch for: Chronic over-rating (insufficient self-perception) or under-rating (common in insecure children). It is working when the child's and therapist's ratings converge.

B. TAK individual phase (5 modules, fixed order)

Module goals come from the 2023 sample chapter and two secondary summaries. The step-by-step module content is in manual sections 5.4–5.8, of which only the opening pages are drawn on; steps below combine the stated goals with standard use of the named materials. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5; HfH profile; everybodywiki TAK summary] [uncertain: detailed module scripts]

4.11 Module 1: Confronting aggressive behaviour (video story)

Purpose: Let the child see aggression from outside, without being accused personally, and start judging appropriate versus inappropriate reactions.
Steps: (1) Show the manual's short video story of an aggressive conflict between children (a photo story can replace it). (2) Ask the child to describe what happened, step by step. (3) Sort the characters' reactions into appropriate and inappropriate, and give reasons. (4) Ask what the other people felt and did next. (5) Link gently to the child's own Detektivbogen situation only if the child opens the door.
Example language (illustrative): "What did Tom do when the other boy laughed? And what happened right after? Was that a good idea or not so good?"
Watch for: Defensiveness if the link to the child is made too fast. It is working when the child can name consequences of aggression for the aggressor.

4.12 Module 2: Self-verbalisation and self-instruction (fox story)

Purpose: Teach the child to steer their behaviour by talking to themselves, as the first stop in the chain from perception to action.
Steps: (1) Read the manual's fox story, in which the fox uses sayings to stay calm and think. (2) Introduce the self-instruction cards showing the fox's sayings. (3) Model the sayings aloud, then whisper them, then "think" them, and have the child copy each stage (graded fading from overt to covert speech). (4) Practise in short role plays of provoking situations. (5) Put a card in the folder and make using it a Detektivbogen task.
Example language (illustrative): "Stop. Breathe. What's happening here? What can I do?" — first said aloud with you, then whispered, then only in the head.
Watch for: Rote recitation without use. It is working when the child spontaneously uses a saying in a role play or reports using it at school.

4.13 Module 3: Anticipating consequences

Purpose: Train the child to think ahead to short-, medium- and long-term consequences before acting (Kaufmann stage 4).
Steps: (1) Take a conflict situation (from the material or the Detektivbogen). (2) For each possible reaction, list what happens in the next minute, later that day and in the long run, for the child and the others. (3) Compare the options and choose a better conflict strategy. (4) Role-play the chosen strategy.
Example language (illustrative): "If you hit him now, what happens in the next minute? And tonight at home? And next week in class?"
Watch for: Only listing punishments. Include consequences for friendships and how the child feels about themselves.

4.14 Module 4: Picture sequences, perspective-taking and alternative solutions

Purpose: Read conflicts accurately, take the other person's perspective, and generate several solutions ("many roads lead to Rome").
Steps: (1) Lay out the picture story in order and have the child describe each picture. (2) Ask what each person feels and thinks, and why. (3) Stop before the ending and brainstorm as many solutions as possible without judging. (4) Evaluate the solutions and choose one. (5) Practise it with self-instruction.
Example language (illustrative): "How does the girl in picture three feel? How do you know? Let's find at least three different ways this could end."
Watch for: Hostile attribution ("he did it on purpose") in ambiguous pictures: ask for other explanations. It is working when the child produces more than one non-aggressive option.

4.15 Module 5: Justified versus unjustified consequences

Purpose: Critical self-evaluation: distinguish fair from unfair consequences, including the child's own urge for revenge.
Steps: (1) Present situations in which a child receives a consequence (from adults or peers). (2) Ask whether it was deserved and why. (3) Turn to the child's own situations and revenge impulses. (4) Discuss what a fair response would have been. (5) Prepare the child for moving into the group.
Example language (illustrative): "Was it fair that he lost his break time? And when you got back at Max the next day, was that fair too?"
Watch for: A sense of being permanently treated unfairly. Accept the feeling, then check the facts.

4.16 Planned provocation in role play (TAK)

Purpose: Make the training realistic by eliciting the child's real problem behaviour in a safe setting. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5]
Steps: (1) Use only with an established relationship and a 100-minute session. (2) Agree the role play in advance; the therapist plays a peer. (3) Provoke at a mild level matched to the child's Detektivbogen situation. (4) Stop the scene when the problem behaviour appears. (5) Reflect on it together, if possible with video playback. (6) Replay it using the self-instruction and chosen alternative. (7) End with relaxation or play to bring arousal down. Steps 3, 4 and 7 are standard role-play safeguards and are not taken from the manual. [synthesis]
Example language (illustrative): "In this game I'll be the boy who takes your pencil. When I say 'freeze', we stop and look at what happened."
Watch for: Real escalation or physical risk: stop at once and use a calming ritual. Do not use provocation with children who cannot yet stop on a signal. [synthesis]

C. TAK group phase (7 modules, 3–4 children)

[source: HfH profile; everybodywiki TAK summary; Beltz TAK TOC ch. 6; Therapie aggressiven Verhaltens PDF] [uncertain: scripts of group sections 6.x]. Group sessions keep the core elements: Detektivbogen review, relaxation, a work phase with role play, and the token programme.

4.17 Group module 1: Getting to know each other and recalling individual topics

Purpose: Build cohesion and connect the group to what each child learned alone.
Steps: Run introduction games. Each child presents one thing from their folder (e.g. their fox saying). Briefly reflect on progress so far. Explain the group token system.
Example language (illustrative): "Show the others one card from your folder that helps you stay cool."
Watch for: Rivalry or showing off. Reinforce listening to others from the first minute.

4.18 Group module 2: Rules for conversations and role plays

Purpose: Have the children create the rules that make structured role play possible.
Steps: Collect rule ideas from the children. Rephrase them positively. Agree on conversation rules (e.g. one person speaks) and role-play rules (e.g. stop signal, no touching, feedback starts with something good). Write and display them. Link them to tokens.
Example language (illustrative): "What rule do we need so that everyone dares to play a scene in front of the others?"
Watch for: Rules imposed by the therapist get less buy-in than rules the children make.

4.19 Group module 3: Empathy

Purpose: Read others' feelings and thoughts from statements, gestures and facial expressions.
Steps: Use the manual's material or pantomime to show feelings. Children guess the feeling and say what gave it away. Discuss what the person might be thinking. Practise responding helpfully in role play.
Example language (illustrative): "Look at Lena's face and hands. What do you think she feels? What could you say to her?"
Watch for: Children who mislabel distress as anger. Slow down and look at specific cues.

4.20 Group module 4: Anger and its appropriate expression

Purpose: Understand reasons for anger and express it without aggression.
Steps: (1) Use the module story to show why someone becomes angry. (2) Help each child identify their own early signs of anger (body signals, thoughts). (3) Teach a sequence of anger-stop rules, a short relaxation and distraction. (4) Role-play expressing anger in words. (5) Set a transfer task on the Detektivbogen. Step 2–3 are taken from a textbook summary of the programme's anger work. [source: Therapie aggressiven Verhaltens PDF]
Example language (illustrative): "Where in your body do you first notice anger? Hot face? Fists? That's your signal to use your stop rule."
Watch for: Anger being treated as forbidden. The aim is expression without harm, not suppression.

4.21 Group module 5: Praise, ignoring and criticism

Purpose: Experience the effects of praise, being ignored and criticism; learn to give positive feedback and tolerate criticism while staying regulated.
Steps: Play the module game in which children give and receive praise, are ignored and receive criticism in turn. Debrief how each felt. Practise giving specific praise and responding calmly to criticism.
Example language (illustrative): "How did it feel when nobody looked at you? What could you say when someone criticises you?"
Watch for: Hurtful "criticism" in the game. Set the rule that criticism is about behaviour and is followed by a suggestion.

4.22 Group module 6: Filmed role play of a non-aggressive conflict solution

Purpose: Self-perception and consolidation through video feedback.
Steps: The group plans and stages a conflict scene with a non-aggressive solution on its own. The scene is filmed. The children watch the recording and evaluate themselves, first the strengths, then one point to improve. Get written parental consent for filming and agree what happens to the recording. [synthesis on consent]
Example language (illustrative): "Watch yourself in the film. What did you do well? What would you do differently next time?"
Watch for: Embarrassment on camera, especially in self-critical children. Start feedback with strengths.

4.23 Group module 7: Stabilising appropriate behaviour

Purpose: Consolidate and protect new behaviour against setbacks.
Steps: Collect positive everyday experiences with conflict resolution. Role-play the remaining difficult situations. Discuss what to do after a relapse. Plan the end of the group and the follow-up.
Example language (illustrative): "Tell us about one time this week you solved a fight without hitting."
Watch for: Over-confidence. Name likely high-risk situations and rehearse them.

D. TSU-specific interventions (socially insecure and anxious children)

The 2015 manual has 5 individual and 8 group modules for school-age children, the same again for preschoolers, and 5 parent modules plus a follow-up. The titles and session-by-session contents of these modules are not drawn on. Only the goals, methods, core elements and the 1983 description are used. The entries below are organised by method, not by module number. [source: Beltz TSU TOC and sample ch. 4; pedocs reviews 1984, 1987] [uncertain: module order and contents]

4.24 Psychoeducation module (new in the 11th edition)

Purpose: Give the child an age-appropriate explanation of anxiety and of what therapy involves, to support cooperation. [source: Beltz TSU sample, preface; Therapie-Tools sample ch. 4]
Steps: (1) Explain in simple words that some children feel more nervous with others, that this is not bad, and that it can be learned to change. (2) Explain that therapy consists of talks and games and lasts some months. (3) Correct mistaken beliefs (e.g. "I'm the only one", "anxiety is dangerous"). (4) Tailor the general worksheet to the child in dialogue. (5) Hold a matching session with the parents.
Example language (illustrative): "Lots of children get a tight tummy when they have to talk in class. Your body is trying to protect you, but it is a bit too careful. Here we'll practise so it learns it can relax."
Watch for: Shame. Normalise without minimising.

4.25 Individual cognitive training: discrimination, self-instruction and self-control

Purpose: Build the prerequisites for the group: reading social situations, perceiving one's own emotions, and calming self-talk. [source: pedocs review 1984; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.1, 4.3]
Steps: (1) Use the video films (or photo stories) and picture stories showing insecure and competent children. (2) Have the child discriminate between insecure, competent and (where relevant) aggressive behaviour, and say how each child feels. (3) Teach self-instructions for approaching a feared situation (coping self-talk, self-reward). (4) Give homework on the Detektivbogen to practise self-control in a real situation. (5) Link the material to the child's own experiences to make it personally relevant.
Example language (illustrative): "Which child in the film is unsure, and how can you tell? What could she say to herself to make it easier to go over?"
Watch for: The 1987 reviewer warned that the cognitive individual work can feel like school and cause reluctance. Keep it playful and short, and use plenty of tokens and play. Expect slower effects in younger, learning-disabled and passively withdrawn children.

4.26 Group role play of interaction and assertiveness skills

Purpose: Practise socially competent behaviour with peers as models and supporters, in graded role plays. [source: Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.1, 4.3; pedocs review 1984]
Steps: (1) Choose skills from the manual's goal areas. Interaction: starting contact, cooperating, asking and explaining, stating one's view, listening, giving and accepting recognition. Assertiveness: saying no, voicing wishes, making requests, ending a contact, expressing negative feelings or criticism, and judging conflicts realistically. (2) Discuss a picture story with several possible solutions. (3) Model the skill (therapist or a more confident child). (4) Each child rehearses, starting with easy versions. (5) Give feedback starting with strengths. (6) Raise the difficulty step by step. (7) Set a matching real-life Detektivbogen task. Puppet play can replace role play for younger children.
Example language (illustrative): "Ben, you play the child who wants to join in. Mia, you're one of the players. Ben, try your sentence: 'Can I play too?' Afterwards we'll each say one thing Ben did well."
Watch for: Freezing or refusal in front of the group. Lower the step (e.g. say it to the therapist first, or use a puppet). It is working when the child volunteers for scenes.

4.27 Exposure (in sensu and in vivo)

Purpose: Break avoidance, which maintains social insecurity. Added after skills training as needed. [source: Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.2, 4.3]
Steps: (1) Indication: persistent avoidance despite new skills; for separation anxiety with school avoidance or refusal, confronting the separation situation is required. (2) Preconditions: a trusting relationship with child and parents and the parents' prior consent for in-vivo work. Explain the rationale to the child and get the child's assent. (3) Choose the form: in sensu or in vivo, gradual (desensitisation-style) or rapid (flooding). The manual leaves the choice to the individual case. Gradual is the more cautious default for children. [synthesis] (4) Build the hierarchy with the child; use the Detektivbogen for between-session steps; in group, use graded role plays. (5) Parents can guide exposure under supervision; teach them not to permit avoidance. (6) After each exposure, discuss emotions, thoughts and body reactions. Reinforce coping (self-talk, self-reward, self-reflection).
Example language (illustrative): "This week's step is to say 'good morning' to your teacher. On a scale from 0 to 10, how scary is that? What will you say to yourself just before?"
Watch for and safety: Do not start in-vivo exposure without parental consent and child assent. Prepare school-related exposure with parents and, with consent, the school. Stop or step down if distress does not fall or the child panics. Process every exposure afterwards. Relative contraindications: unclear medical causes of physical symptoms, current trauma or abuse at home, acute crisis or suicidality, or a child who has not yet consented. In these cases, stabilise and assess first. The contraindications list is [synthesis] from standard CBT practice, not taken from the manual.

4.28 Preschool versions (individual and group)

Purpose: Adapt the programme for children about 5–6. [source: Beltz TSU TOC ch. 7–8; sample preface; pedocs review 1987]
Steps: Use 50-minute sessions. Use the recurring guide characters as a thread through therapy. Use more creative activities, puppet play and concrete instructions. Keep the same core sequence (ritual, work, play). Involve parents more heavily in transfer.
Example language (illustrative): "Our helper is here again today. Let's see what he's brave enough to do."
Watch for: Expect delayed effects. Plan more sessions from the start.

E. Parent and family counselling (both programmes)

4.29 Parent session format

Purpose: Support transfer of the child's new behaviour to home and change parenting that maintains the problem. Mandatory, parallel to the child phases. [source: everybodywiki TAK summary; socialnet review; pedocs review 1984]
Steps: Each session: (1) the therapist reports the child's progress; (2) parents report observations and significant events; (3) work phase on the module theme. Treat parents as competent partners and co-therapists. Move to whole-family sessions when the child is about 8–9 or older.
Example language (illustrative): "Before we start today's topic: what did you notice at home this week, good or bad?"
Watch for: Parents who feel blamed. Frame unhelpful patterns as understandable and changeable.

4.30 TAK parent module 1: Understanding aggressive behaviour; behaviour observation

Purpose: Convey a model of how aggression develops and is maintained; train parents to observe precisely. [source: HfH profile; Therapie aggressiven Verhaltens PDF]
Steps: Explain the vicious circle of aggression and the role of the environment. Show how inconsistent or harsh parenting and unhelpful communication can strengthen aggression. Teach parents to record concrete situations (when, what before, what the child did, what they did).
Example language (illustrative): "When he shouts and then gets his way, he learns that shouting works. Let's see where that happens at home."
Watch for: Vague observations ("he's always difficult"). Ask for one concrete episode.

4.31 TAK parent module 2: Effective instructions

Purpose: Teach parents to give clear, enforceable instructions. [source: HfH profile; Therapie aggressiven Verhaltens PDF]
Steps: Review how instructions are given now. Teach the features of effective instructions (attention first, one short, specific request, calm tone, follow through). Role-play with the parents. Assign home practice.
Example language (illustrative): "Try: go close, say his name, wait for eye contact, then one sentence: 'Put your shoes on now.'"
Watch for: Chains of questions or threats instead of instructions. The specific features listed are standard parent-training content [synthesis], not taken from the manual.

4.32 TAK parent module 3: Communication and parenting problems; point plans

Purpose: Address family communication and parenting problems; support new behaviour with point plans. [source: HfH profile; Therapie aggressiven Verhaltens PDF; Therapie-Tools sample]
Steps: Identify recurring conflicts. Practise listening and calm problem talk. Set up a home point plan aligned with the child's rule list (same target behaviours, exchangeable for privileges or shared activities). Add planned praise and a success diary.
Example language (illustrative): "Let's use the same rule he practises here: 'I let others finish.' Each time he does it at dinner, he gets a point on the plan."
Watch for: Plans that are too complex or applied inconsistently. Start with one behaviour.

4.33 TAK parent module 4: Stabilising change; restructuring family life

Purpose: Consolidate positive change, restructure family routines and prepare for setbacks. [source: HfH profile; Therapie aggressiven Verhaltens PDF]
Steps: Review what has changed. Plan family routines and shared positive activities (family council, outings, rules and rituals). Agree what the family will do if problems return. Involve other helpers (e.g. family counselling services) if needed.
Example language (illustrative): "If the fights start again in a month, what will be your first step?"
Watch for: Relapse into old patterns once therapy ends.

4.34 TSU parent counselling (5 modules)

Purpose: Plan therapy jointly, give mutual feedback on the child's changes, and train parent behaviour. [source: pedocs review 1984; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.2–4.3] [uncertain: module titles]
Steps: Teach observation of insecure and competent behaviour at home. Apply learning principles: reinforce brave attempts and do not reinforce avoidance. Plan joint family activities that create social opportunities. Prepare and coach parent-guided exposure, especially for separation situations and school attendance.
Example language (illustrative): "When she asks you to order for her, praise her for trying and wait: give her the chance to say it herself."
Watch for: Over-protective parenting (doing things for the child). Model and rehearse waiting and encouragement in session.

4.35 Homework design (all participants)

Purpose: Make between-session practice work. [source: Therapie-Tools sample]
Steps: Agree homework in writing at the start. Make tasks concrete, short and with a clear start and end. Start easy and increase difficulty. Anticipate obstacles and agree a backup plan. Practise the first step in session. Review at the start of every session and praise any effort. Repeat tasks that were not done or misunderstood. Use reminders, attractive incentives and clear, consistent consequences.
Example language (illustrative): "What could stop you doing this? What will you do then?"
Watch for: Tasks the family did not help plan are rarely done.

4.36 Follow-up session (Nachgespräch)

Purpose: Check whether changes in child and parents have lasted. [source: HfH profile; Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3; TSU TOC 9.11]
Steps: About 8 (8–12) weeks after the end, meet the whole family. Repeat outcome measures (TAK: SDQ, CBCL). Review the Detektivbogen and home point plan. Reinforce gains. Agree booster contacts or further help if needed.
Example language (illustrative): "What has stayed the same since we finished, and where has it got harder?"
Watch for: Deterioration on measures. Offer booster sessions rather than restarting the whole programme. [synthesis]

4.37 Transfer to school and teachers

Purpose: Extend transfer to the classroom. [source: everybodywiki TAK summary; Beltz TAK TOC ch. 9]
Steps: With parental consent, inform teachers about the training and ask them for observations at the start and end. The manual has a chapter on transfer to schools and inpatient settings. Teacher involvement is described as only loosely developed.
Example language (illustrative): "Could you note how often he solves conflicts at break without hitting, this week and again in three months?"
Watch for: Data protection and consent. Keep teacher requests small.

5. Handling problems

Both manuals have dedicated "critical therapy situations" sections for the individual, group and parent phases (TAK 5.10, 6.x, 7.x; TSU 5.9, 6.14), with causes and suggested solutions. Their content is not drawn on. Guidance drawn from sources is cited; the rest is marked [synthesis]. [source: Beltz TAK TOC; Beltz TSU TOC] [uncertain]

Child refuses to work or to come

Check that the work demands are graded low enough and that the work-to-play contingency is clear and kept. Shorten the work phase (50-minute format) and give tokens more often. [source: Beltz TAK sample ch. 5 on session length and token ratio; synthesis on application]
Go back to the contract: remind the child of the goals they themselves put in and of everyone's obligations. Use free-play observations (favourite figures, wishes) to make materials more attractive. [synthesis]
For TSU, refusal may be anxiety. Lower the step instead of pushing (puppet instead of role play, therapist-only rehearsal before group). [synthesis]

Child finds the cognitive work "like school" (especially TSU individual phase)

The 1987 reviewer named this risk. Mix materials with movement and play, use stories and puppets, and connect each task to the child's own Detektivbogen situation. [source: pedocs review 1987; synthesis on remedies]

Detektivbogen not done (non-adherence)

Review it anyway, praise any partial effort, and repeat or simplify the task. Practise the first step in session. Ask parents for a fixed daily reminder time. Make the sheet part of earning tokens if needed. [source: Therapie-Tools sample; synthesis]
If it is repeatedly lost, take it up in parent counselling as a family-support issue. [synthesis]

Over-arousal, escalation or aggression in session (TAK)

Stop the scene on the agreed signal, separate physically, and use the relaxation ritual or a short calming break. Reflect only once the child is calm. Do not run provocation role plays with children who cannot yet stop on a signal or in 50-minute sessions. [synthesis; manual requires 100 minutes for provocation: Beltz TAK sample]
Keep point deductions to children whose aggression is instrumental. For children with reactive, anger-driven aggression, deductions can escalate; rely on positive points. [source: Beltz TAK sample on deductions; synthesis on reactive aggression]

Overwhelm, panic or freezing (TSU)

Step down the hierarchy, let the child watch a peer model first, then rehearse with the therapist alone. Always process the experience afterwards (feelings, thoughts, body). Spread a module over several 50-minute sessions if needed. [source: Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.2–4.3; synthesis on order]

Group problems: rivalry, scapegoating, deviant talk

Compose the group carefully: 3–4 children, ages 1–2 years apart, mixed sex where possible. [source: therapie-huette listing; HfH profile]
Use the children's own group rules and the token system to reinforce listening and helping. Do not let aggressive children swap stories that glorify aggression; redirect and reinforce prosocial contributions. Do not put a single very withdrawn child into a group of dominant children. [synthesis]

Ruptures in the relationship

Ruptures often follow a broken agreement or a confrontation that came too early. Acknowledge it, keep the next promise exactly, and return to brief, non-confrontational problem talk. Give the child a task they can master to restore self-efficacy. [source: Beltz TAK sample on reliability; Beltz TSU sample on trust; synthesis on repair]

Parents disengage or undermine the programme

Parent counselling is mandatory. Make that part of the initial agreement. If parents stop coming, pause the child phase and renegotiate, since transfer depends on them. Offer shorter or more flexible sessions, and acknowledge their stress. [source: everybodywiki TAK summary; socialnet review; synthesis on response]
With over-protective parents of anxious children, rehearse waiting and encouraging in session before asking them to guide exposure at home. [synthesis]

School refusal with separation anxiety (TSU)

Confronting the separation situation is required. Prepare thoroughly in both child therapy and parent counselling. With consent, coordinate a graded return plan with the school. [source: Beltz TSU sample ch. 4.3; synthesis on school coordination]

Slow or no progress

Expect delayed effects in young, learning-disabled and passively withdrawn children, and plan more sessions. Re-check the indication and comorbidity (ADHD, developmental disorders, depression, family stress, maltreatment). Use the reserve sessions in the contract. [source: pedocs review 1987; Beltz TAK sample; synthesis on re-assessment]

Safety concerns

If you learn of abuse, domestic violence or serious risk to the child or others, put child protection procedures before the programme. If the child expresses suicidal thoughts (possible in anxious or depressed children), do a standard risk assessment, involve parents, and agree a safety plan including safe storage or removal of medicines and other means at home. Then decide whether to continue the training. [synthesis]

Sources

Sources:

Books cited:

Petermann, F. & Petermann, U. (2012). Training mit aggressiven Kindern (13th ed.). Weinheim: Beltz.
Petermann, F. & Petermann, U. (2023). Training mit aggressiven Kindern (14th ed.). Weinheim: Beltz.
Petermann, U. & Petermann, F. (2015). Training mit sozial unsicheren Kindern (11th ed.). Weinheim: Beltz.
Petermann, U. (1983; 2nd ed. 1986). Training mit sozial unsicheren Kindern. Weinheim: Beltz.
Petermann, F. & Petermann, U. (2006). Behavior Therapy with Aggressive Children and Adolescents. Frankfurt: Peter Lang.
Petermann, U. (2016/2024). Die Kapitän-Nemo-Geschichten. Weinheim: Beltz.
Petermann, U. & Petermann, F. (2015; 4th ed. 2024). Therapie-Tools Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapie. Weinheim: Beltz.
Möller, C. (2014). Überprüfung der Wirksamkeit des "Trainings mit sozial unsicheren Kindern". Dissertation, Universität Bremen.

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