First Adaptation of Coping Power Program as a Classroom-Based Prevention Intervention on Aggressive Behaviors Among Elementary School Children

Abstract

Children with high levels of aggressive behavior create a major management problem in school settings and interfere with the learning environment of their classmates. We report results from a group-randomized trial of a program aimed at preventing aggressive behaviors. The purpose of the current study, therefore, was to determine the extent to which an indicated prevention program, Coping Power Program, is capable of reducing behavioral problems and improving pro-social behavior when delivered as a universal classroom-based prevention intervention. Nine classes (five first grade and four second grade) were randomly assigned to intervention or control conditions. Findings showed a significant reduction in overall problematic behaviors and in inattention-hyperactivity problems for the intervention classes compared to the control classes. Students who received Coping Power Program intervention also showed more pro-social behaviors at postintervention. The implications of these findings for the implementation of strategies aimed at preventing aggressive behavior in school settings are discussed.

Coping power for preschool‐aged children: a pilot randomized control trial study

“…A previous randomized trial of CP with elementary school students has shown significant impacts on these children's behaviours both at post-intervention and at 1-year follow up. 18 We could hypothesize that teachers evaluate these patterns of behaviours as typical of the preschool age and/or that nursery school children have more opportunities to move during school activities compared with children in elementary school, and that this might help children to address their hyperactive difficulties naturally. The lack of an intervention effect in this domain may also reflect problems with the measures used to assess the construct.…”

“…From a prevention standpoint, it is important that the current findings are consistent with those from prior researches on the outcomes of the targeted and universal prevention versions of CP. 16,18 In Italy, schools usually cater for both nursery and elementary levels; in this context, a multi-tiered prevention model can be delivered so that teachers, educators and/or school psychologists can learn a set of intervention skills and then flexibly deliver them to address preschooler or school-aged children's behavioural difficulties. These multiple levels of intervention could be considered a cost-effective procedure in school settings, reducing the expenditure of resources that might otherwise be dedicated to the adoption of multiple programmes.…”

“…16 Furthermore, CP has been developed for use at different levels of intervention: targeted prevention, universal prevention and clinical intervention levels. [17][18][19][20] The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a preschool version of the CP universal curriculum utilizing a randomized clinical trial. The CP conceptual model, principles and practices were preserved, but the curriculum components were modified to be developmentally appropriate for preschool children.…”

“…Several studies documented CP effectiveness in reducing children's behavioural difficulties at school, as well as in reducing students' risk for later delinquency and substance use . Furthermore, CP has been developed for use at different levels of intervention: targeted prevention, universal prevention and clinical intervention levels . The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a preschool version of the CP universal curriculum utilizing a randomized clinical trial.…”

Maternal Depression and Parenting Practices Predict Treatment Outcome in Italian Children with Disruptive Behavior Disorder

“…Coping Power was and is being developed for use in different settings (Lochman et al 2012a;Muratori et al 2014). Previous studies have examined its use with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder in outpatient child clinics Van de Wiel et al 2007).…”