Universal Prevention of Antisocial Development: Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Child- and Parent-Oriented Program

Lösel F, Stemmler M, Jaursch S, Beelmann A. Universal Prevention of Antisocial Development: Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Child- and Parent-Oriented Program. Monatsschrift für Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform. 2009;92(2-3):289-307.Although early Prevention is a strongly expanding field of developmental criminology, there is a lack of sound evaluations in Europe. This study reports short- and long-term effects of two programs for the promotion of child social skills and parenting behavior which were evaluated in the Erlangen-Nuremberg Development and Prevention Study. From a sample of 675 children (age 4-5 years), 239 were assigned to the program groups and 239 to the control groups (group-wise randomization, matching, intent-to-treat analysis). Preschool teachers' reports on the children in the Social Behavior Questionnaire revealed positive effects 2-3 months after the training. Program groups showed significantly less externalizing and internalizing problems. Most effect sizes were small but relatively large for the combined parent- and child program and for children at risk. Up to three years after the training the school report cards showed lower rates of program children with stable multiple problems, in particular for the combined training. However, mothers' ratings in the SBQ revealed no positive effects in both short-term and long-term evaluation. Possible reasons for these inconsistencies are discussed. A cautious optimism, more sound evaluation studies and a long-term Prevention policy are recommended