Teaching Self-Control in Early Childhood: Classroom-Based Promotion of Friendships, Executive Functioning, and Positive Social Expectations

Researchers emphasize the need for early universal prevention of youth externalizing problems. Preschool disruptive behaviors are associated with ongoing social and academic functioning, especially in low-income families. Recently, preschool social-emotional learning (SEL) programs have demonstrated promising social outcomes. The present study was a randomized trial of a new SEL program (GOALS) designed to expand outcomes related to school readiness. GOALS builds on existing programs through increased emphasis on social information processing (SIP) and executive functioning (EF), video-based lessons, and practical teacher generalization strategies. I conducted repeated measures ANOVAs to examine pre-post change in SIP, EF, and disruptive behavior. There was partial support for one of six hypotheses; GOALS had a strong effect on teacher-reported self-control. Non-hypothesized higher-order interactions suggest that GOALS may impact girls' and older children's aggression-related social cognitions and more verbal children's attention difficulties. Further evaluations are needed to determine GOALS' efficacy and the nature of subgroup effects

Family Interventions in Multisystemic Therapy: Adherence and Role in the Change Process

Empirically Validated Treatments for youth antisocial behavior target family-level risk, which according to systems theories requires direct family participation. There are multiple barriers to family interventions, and researchers emphasize exploring treatment adherence and family-level change mechanisms. Using therapy progress notes, the present study explored adherence to and effects of family member participation in Multisystemic Therapy. Contrary to hypotheses, more family participation was associated with poorer pre-treatment family functioning and less family improvement. Greater improvement in youth outcomes was associated with more general but less extended family participation. MST's Therapist Adherence Measure correlated weakly with family participation. The discussion considers influences of treatment tailoring, family complexity, family therapy training, and methodology, encouraging future mechanisms research using objective measures of family interventions

Family Interventions in Multisystemic Therapy: Adherence and Role in the Change Process

Empirically Validated Treatments for youth antisocial behavior target family-level risk, which according to systems theories requires direct family participation. There are multiple barriers to family interventions, and researchers emphasize exploring treatment adherence and family-level change mechanisms. Using therapy progress notes, the present study explored adherence to and effects of family member participation in Multisystemic Therapy. Contrary to hypotheses, more family participation was associated with poorer pre-treatment family functioning and less family improvement. Greater improvement in youth outcomes was associated with more general but less extended family participation. MST's Therapist Adherence Measure correlated weakly with family participation. The discussion considers influences of treatment tailoring, family complexity, family therapy training, and methodology, encouraging future mechanisms research using objective measures of family interventions

Video-Based Approach to Engaging Parents into a Preventive Parenting Intervention for Divorcing Families: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

The public health impact of evidence-based, preventive parenting interventions has been severely constrained by low rates of participation when interventions are delivered under natural conditions. It is critical that prevention scientists develop effective and feasible parent engagement methods. This study tested video-based methods for engaging parents into an evidence-based program for divorcing parents. Three alternative versions of a video were created to test the incremental effectiveness of different theory-based engagement strategies based on social influence and health behavior models. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the three experimental videos versus two control conditions, an information-only brochure and an information-only video. Participants were attendees at brief, court-mandated parent information programs (PIPs) for divorcing or never married, litigating parents. Of the 1123 eligible parents, 61% were female and 13% were never married to the child’s other parent. Randomization to one of five conditions was conducted at the PIP class level, blocking on facilitator. All participants completed a 15-item, empirically validated risk index and an invitation form. Results of regression analyses indicated that the most streamlined version, the core principles video, significantly increased parents’ interest in participating in the parenting intervention, enrollment during a follow-up call, and initiation (i.e., attending at least one session) compared to one or the other control conditions. Findings suggest that videos based on social influence and health behavior theories could provide an effective and feasible method for increasing parent engagement, which would help maximize the public health benefits of evidence-based parenting interventions