Description:
Head Start and other early childhood teachers report an increasing number of children with severe disruptive behavior in their classrooms. Some prevention and intervention studies with elementary-aged children show promising effects, but at the preschool age, very little information exists to guide parents or teachers about the choice of prevention or intervention approaches to use with disruptive children. This project will test both the efficacy and the effectiveness of a theory- and research-based, multi-modal intervention with components drawn from the best recent research. The intervention will provide a universal prevention curriculum to all children within a classroom and an indicated intervention program to children with severe disruptive behaviors. For 2 years, project-supported therapist-consultants (T-Cs) will work directly with teachers and coordinators to learn and implement the intervention. During this time the efficacy of the intervention will also be evaluated. As T-Cs move on to new classes, the effectiveness phase of research will study whether and how Head Start teachers and coordinators can maintain any positive effects achieved during the first 2 years. This interest in providing a universal intervention to all children is consistent with the Head Start goal of providing experiences and activities that foster the development of social competence among all Head Start participants and the indicated intervention is in response to the clear need for more intensive approaches to help parents and teachers of disruptive children.
Resource Type:
Administration for Children and Families/OPRE Projects
Grantee(s)/Contrator(s):