A School-Family Partnership: Addressing Multiple Risk Factors to Improve School Readiness and Prevent Conduct Problems in Young Children Overview

Curricula and summarize research on the effectiveness of these three programs for reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors associated with children’s social emotional development and school success. The chapter will include a focus on the role of home-school partnerships in preventing and treating children’s behavior problems and improving their school readiness as well as practical tips for engaging schools in the prevention and intervention process. Background While researchers have long considered intelligence to be a key predictor of success in school, recent studies indicate that the social and emotional adjustment of young children are strong predictors of early academic achievement even after controlling for variations in children’s cognitive abilities and family resources (Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994; Raver & Zigler, 1997). Children with emotional difficulties such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and “early onset ” conduct problems (CPs) (defined as high rates of aggression, noncompliance, and oppositional behaviors) are at high risk for underachievement, school absences, and eventual school drop out (Moffitt, 1993; Tremblay, Mass, Pagani, & Vitaro, 1996). Data from the National Center for Education Statistics survey of kindergarten teachers indicate that teachers ’ predominant concern is for regulatory and emotional aspects of children’s behavior (West, Denton, & Reaney, 2001). In particular, 84 % o