The Distal Impact of Two First-Grade Preventive Interventions on Conduct Problems and Disorder in Early Adolescence
In this article, we examine the impact of two universal, first-grade preventive
interventions on the prevalence of conduct problems and disorder and mental
health service need and use in early adolescence. The classroom-centered (CC)
intervention was designed to reduce the risk for later conduct problems and
disorder by enhancing teachers’ behavior management in first grade, whereas the
Family-School Partnership (FSP) intervention targeted improvement in parentteacher communication and parents’ child behavior management strategies. At
Grade 6, or age 12, CC and FSP intervention children received significantly lower
ratings from their teachers for conduct problems than control children. CC and
FSP children were also significantly less likely than control children to meet
diagnostic criteria for Conduct Disorder and to have been suspended from school
in the last year. In addition, the CC intervention was associated with significantly
lower rates of child mental health service need and utilization. Overall, the CC
intervention appeared to be the more effective of the two in reducing the
prevalence of conduct problems and disorder at age 12 and in reducing mental
health service need and utilization. Nevertheless, future studies may show that the
combination of CC and FSP interventions produces additive or even synergistic
effects.[ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Citation: Ialongo N, Poduska J, Werthamer L, Kellam S: The distal impact of two first-grade preventive interventions on conduct problems and disorder in early adolescence. Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders 2001, 9(3):146-160