Study of Parents' and Adolescents' Experiences
Parenting programmes are very helpful in the short-term in reducing children's difficult behaviour. However, there is little evidence as to whether they are more effective in the longer term. Yet many of the worst outcomes for child antisocial behaviour occur later, so it is useful to know whether or not the short-term effects are enduring.
What is this study trying to achieve?
To find out whether the effects of parenting programmes given early in childhood, when children are aged 3 to 7 years, endure into adolescence, when the children are aged 10 to 17 years.
How will this benefit families?
It will help families by discovering whether the effects of the original parenting programme wear out, in which case the may be a case for adding in 'booster' sessions after a few years, to consolidate the early gains and prevent more serious difficulties emerging in adolescence.
Trials Design
This trial is a follow-up study funded by the Healthcare Foundation. Children whose parents received the incredible years programme will be followed up and compared with those who were randomised to a control condition. As well as looking at behavioural outcomes, we shall also look at child reading ability, and take detailed measures of the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship.
The full trial protocol is attached here.
Principal Investigator
Professor and Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Affiliations
Contact us
Professor Stephen Scott
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry
De Crespigny Park
London
SE5 8AF