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A parent-based intervention programme involving preschoolers with AD/HD behaviours: are children’s and mothers’ effects sustained over time?

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Abstract

To evaluate the 12-month efficacy of a parent-based intervention programme on children’s and mothers’ outcomes in a sample of Portuguese preschoolers displaying early hyperactive and inattentive behaviours (AD/HD behaviours), 52 preschool children whose mothers had received the Incredible Years basic parent training (IY) were followed from baseline to 12 months of follow-up. Reported and observational measures were used. Effects were found in the children’s reported AD/HD behaviours at home and at school after 12 months. Large effect sizes were also found in mothers’ variables: a decrease in self-reported dysfunctional parenting practices and an improved sense of competence and observed positive parenting. However, the improvements in coaching skills that have been observed after 6 months of follow-up decreased over time. No other significant differences were found between 6 and 12 months follow-up, with small effect sizes indicating that the significant post-intervention changes in child and parenting measures were maintained. After 12 months of follow-up, there was a clinically important reduction of over 30 % in reported AD/HD behaviours in 59 % of children. The sustained effects observed both for children and their mothers suggest long-term benefits of IY. Therefore, efforts should be made by Portuguese policy makers and professionals to deliver IY as an early preventive intervention for children displaying early AD/HD behaviours.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology and by FEDERCOMPETE (PhD grant: SFRH/BD/40339/2007; project research grant: PTDC/PSIPED/ 102556/2008). We are very grateful to all the families that kindly participated in all phases of this project; and to our team (group leaders, evaluators and advisers) for their commitment and effective support for this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest with respect to the present research, authorship and publication of this paper.

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  1. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Andreia Fernandes Azevedo, Maria João Seabra-Santos, Maria Filomena Gaspar & Tatiana Homem

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  1. Andreia Fernandes Azevedo
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  2. Maria João Seabra-Santos
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  3. Maria Filomena Gaspar
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  4. Tatiana Homem
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Azevedo, A.F., Seabra-Santos, M.J., Gaspar, M.F. et al. A parent-based intervention programme involving preschoolers with AD/HD behaviours: are children’s and mothers’ effects sustained over time?. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 23, 437–450 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0470-2

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