Children At Risk for Externalizing Problem Behaviors: The Effects of an Individual Child training and an Additional Parent Management Training

Preventive interventions seems to be effective to treat children with externalizing problem behaviors. Purpose: This study has examined the effects of an individual school-based child training (AK) and a combination of an individual school-based child training with a parent management training (AKplus) on both parenting and child behavior. Method: The current study used data from an ongoing RCT-study; 95 children from nine to twelve years and their parents (78 mothers and 51 fathers) were investigated, using the CBCL, APQ and PS on three measuring moments. Results: No significant differences were found in externalizing problem behavior over time between the different conditions. However, the findings in this study suggest a trend for a decrease in externalizing problem behavior over time. Likewise, the results suggest that this individual school-based child training is more suitable for boys and children with more severe externalizing problem behaviors. Furthermore, a sleeper effect on parental overreactivity and inconsistent discipline was found for the AK group. However, between the different conditions no significant changes were found on parenting behavior over time. Finally, a sleeper effect was found for the AKplus group on externalizing problem behavior, overreactivity, parental involvement and positive parenting. Conclusion: At this moment no evidence was found for the effectiveness of an individual school-based child training and for a combination of an individual school-based child training with a parent management training to improve child and parenting behavior. However, some sleeper effects were found for changes in child and parenting behavior. Future research, with a larger sample size could possibly find significant differences in child and parenting behavior between the intervention and control group