Category: Child / Adolescent - School-Related Issues

Symposium

Classwide Delivery of a Modified Version of the Incredible Years Program in Urban Public Elementary Schools

Keywords: Prevention | School | Evidence-Based Practice
Presentation Type: Symposium

Presenter(s)

• BD

  Brian Daly, Ph.D.

  Drexel University

  Nothing to disclose

Children in the early elementary years demonstrating poor social skills and/or behavior problems are at risk for continued behavioral challenges and poor classroom participation (Raver & Knitze, 2002). This is especially true for children of color from low-income households as these students are at greatest risk of psychosocial problems that negatively impact development (Knapp et al., 2007). Prevention services delivered within the school setting can overcome barriers associated with the delivery of behavioral health care in urban community settings. The current study utilized a modified and combined version of The Incredible Years Classroom Dinosaur and Small Group Dinosaur Program Curriculum. Both of these curricula promote the development of self-regulation skills and enhanced social competence in early school-age children. The modified 18-week program was delivered class-wide to six classrooms (N = 151) in two public, urban elementary schools. Psychology graduate students collaborated with teachers to implement the curriculum.

Results: A paired-samples t-test that compared scores on the Abbreviated Social Skills Rating Scale found a significant difference between the baseline (M = 13.07, SD = 6.37) and post-intervention scores (M = 15.38, SD = 4.31); t(83) = -3.38, p = .001. There also was a significant difference on the Teacher Social Competence rating scale between baseline (M = 31.65, SD = 14.65) and post-intervention scores (M = 38.72, SD = 14.16); t(73) = -3.14, p =.002. Results suggest that students’ prosocial behaviors and social competence skills improved over time. In addition, teachers strongly agreed that the intervention was effective and feasible for classroom-wide use.

Conclusions: Findings indicate a collaborative universal classroom-based approach can improve student’s behavior and social competence. Discussion will focus on how involving teachers in program delivery can enhance generalization of behavioral strategies and foster positive relationship building with students. This talk will highlight benefits to using a coaching model to improve group leaders’ knowledge and use of empirically-supported behavior management strategies.