My son is only 5 but I can relate to this. So here is what I think may work (haven't tried it though I have am starting token-based stuff with my son and it seems to work).

Big visible charts are a good idea. If he can understand delayed reward with a visual progress indication, set up somewhere where he can see it (kitchen?) a chart to work on regulating his anger for a tangible reward. Make small successes accrue something (stickers, or something visible) on the chart. When the chart fills up, he gets his reward. Some pictures of the reward at the end of the sticker-made bar chart is a good visual indicator of how close he is.

I'd set up some social stories with situations where you know he gets mad, and where he uses whatever redirection for the anger you wish (walking away, doing something else -being specific, depending on the situation and your wishes). Reading the social story should have a bit of a progress reward (a small one, just to get the chart moving). When he comes home and you hear about how he controlled himself very well, add stickers to the chart (more than just social story).

Keep it positive for the first few of days, trying to ignore the anger while he gets used to the system. After you feel it's adequate, start removing or scratching off stickers so he gets "behind" whenever he gets mad (this may make him madder; avoid punishing him for getting mad about the system not working out for him until he's very good at it).

You know your child's limits and capabilities better than anybody, so keep the goals reachable and close enough to keep up with whatever his delayed gratification capability may be. For example, if it's very short, a daily highly valued small thing (cookie, 1 hour with computer games) would do. If he is more capable than that, a weekly outing to somewhere he loves. Stuff like that.

If you have never used a "token based economy" see the Polyxo.com site.

Hope this helps
Source(s):
http://www.polyxo.com/visualsupport/tokeneconomies.html


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