An evaluation of a community-based basic parenting programme: a two-year follow-up.

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Interventions

Background:

• Early childhood behavioral difficulties pose challenges for practitioners.
• Untreated conduct disorder incurs significant societal costs and poor child prognosis.
• Long-term effects of early interventions require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term effects of the 12-week Basic Incredible Years Programme.
• To assess outcomes two years after program completion.
• To examine the impact on child behavior and parental mental health.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week Basic Incredible Years Programme intervention.
• Follow-up interviews with 57 participants (63% of original sample) parenting children aged 1-12 years.
• Pre-intervention, post-intervention, and two-year follow-up assessments using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) and Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (ECBI).

Main Results:

• The majority of participants reported positive changes in child behavior.
• Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory scores decreased to below clinical cut-off post-intervention and at two years.
• Parental mental health scores improved and were largely maintained at two-year follow-up.
• Children whose behavior deteriorated by two years often had experienced adverse life events or secondary diagnoses.

Conclusions:

• The Basic Incredible Years Programme demonstrates sustained positive effects on child behavior and parental mental health.
• Early intervention programs can effectively mitigate long-term challenges associated with behavioral difficulties.
• Identifying children at risk for relapse is crucial, considering factors like adverse life events and co-occurring diagnoses.