The Coping Power program at the middle-school transition: universal and indicated prevention effects

Area of Science:

• Child psychology
• Preventive interventions
• Substance abuse prevention

Background:

• Aggressive and disruptive behaviors in children can predict future substance use.
• Early identification and intervention are crucial for mitigating risks.
• Existing preventive programs vary in their approach and target populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an indicated preventive intervention (Coping Power) and a universal preventive intervention for at-risk children.
• To compare the outcomes of individual interventions against a combined approach and a control group.
• To examine the impact of these interventions on children's behaviors and parenting skills.

Main Methods:

• Children identified as at-risk based on 4th-grade teacher ratings of aggressive/disruptive behaviors.
• Random assignment to four conditions: Coping Power, universal intervention, combined intervention, or control.
• Interventions delivered during 5th and 6th grade, including child and parent components for Coping Power.

Main Results:

• All three intervention groups showed significantly lower rates of substance use post-intervention compared to the control group.
• Interventions positively impacted children's social competence and self-regulation.
• Improvements were also observed in parents' parenting skills across intervention groups.

Conclusions:

• Both indicated and universal preventive interventions are effective in reducing substance use among at-risk youth.
• These programs demonstrate a broad impact, enhancing children's socio-emotional development and family functioning.
• Combined intervention strategies may offer comprehensive benefits for child behavior and substance abuse prevention.