Research conducted by Lee Kern, PhD, and George DuPaul, PhD, of Lehigh University finds that treatment approaches that focus on parent education are effective in reducing problematic behaviors in preschool age children.
The researchers compared two randomly assigned treatment groups. One group received parent education classes that focused on parenting skills, understanding the child’s behavior and development, and ensuring child safety. This group also received individualized interventions in the home and at preschool or daycare.
The other treatment group only received training in parenting skills in a group setting.
Both the two treatment programs lasted for one year and the children’s progress was evaluated every six months.
Both groups showed significant improvement after one year. Problem behavior among the children decreased and social skills improved.
Though researchers expected to see greater improvement in the group who received multiple interventions as compared to the group who only received parent training skills, no significant differences in improvement rates between the two groups were found.
The report, Multisetting Assessment-Based Intervention for Young Children at Risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Initial Effects on Academic and Behavioral Functioning is published in the most recent quarterly edition of the journal School Psychology Review (June 2007).
