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Promoting Mental Health in Disadvantaged Preschoolers: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Teacher Training Effects

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Abstract

The literature provides solid documentation of the negative consequences of poor psychosocial functioning and behavioral problems in early childhood. Children facing economic disadvantage are at higher risk for poor socio-emotional development and problem behaviors, which draws attention to the need for prevention targeted at this risk group. The aim of our study was to analyze the impact of an evidence-based teacher-training program, the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY-TCM), on the behavior of economically disadvantaged Portuguese children. Participants were 1030 children aged 3–6 years, from 65 preschool classrooms selected for their high percentage of children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The study followed an experimental randomized controlled between-group design, with pre- and post-intervention assessments. Teachers in the experimental group attended the IY-TCM program, implemented in six monthly workshops, and four sessions of individual in-class support. Children outcomes were evaluated with the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales—2nd Edition (Social Skills and Problem Behavior scales). After the intervention, preschoolers in the IY-TCM classrooms showed more improvements in their social skills and more decreases in problem behavior. Children with lower levels of social skills (high risk) at pre-intervention and those coming from families in economic need showed greater improvements in social skills, but these effects were not observed for problem behavior. Results support the growing evidence of the effectiveness of the IY-TCM as a stand-alone, non-adapted program in a Portuguese cultural context, which can play a protective role in children’s lives and thus bridge the gap between children coming from different economic backgrounds.

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Author Contributions

M.J.S.S. was Principal Investigator, conceived the study, wrote the grant, designed the study, conducted the analyses, interpreted the findings and drafted the paper. M.F.G. conceived the study, wrote the grant, designed the study, implemented the IY-TCM and interpreted the findings. S.M. designed the study, conducted the evaluations, interpreted the findings, and assisted the data analysis and editing of the final manuscript. J.P. conducted the analyses and contributed to the design and writing. A.F.A., T.C.H., designed the study, implemented the IY-TCM and interpreted the findings. M.P. conducted the evaluations, managed the study and data, and contributed to the design and writing. E.B. managed the study and data, and contributed to the design and writing. V.V. implemented the IY-TCM. S.K. was expert advisor for the grant. All authors commented upon and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Coimbra, Rua do Colégio Novo, 3000-115, Coimbra, Portugal

    Maria João Seabra-Santos, Maria Filomena Gaspar, Andreia F. Azevedo, Tatiana C. Homem & Mariana Pimentel

  2. Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas da Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal

    Sofia O. Major

  3. UiT, The Artic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway

    Joshua Patras & Sihu Klest

  4. Hospital Pediátrico do Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Elsa Baptista

  5. Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Vera Vale

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  1. Maria João Seabra-Santos
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  2. Maria Filomena Gaspar
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  3. Sofia O. Major
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  4. Joshua Patras
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  5. Andreia F. Azevedo
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  6. Tatiana C. Homem
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  7. Mariana Pimentel
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  8. Elsa Baptista
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  9. Sihu Klest
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  10. Vera Vale
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria João Seabra-Santos.

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Conflict of Interest

The Incredible Years is a trademark owned by The Incredible Years, Inc. The second author may receive occasional payments for training leaders in the Incredible Years TCM program. The other authors declare that they have no other competing interests.

Ethical Approval

The main Portuguese authority in ethical issues, the Portuguese Data Protection Commission (CNPD, No.3953/2016), and the Ethics Commission of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra provided approval for the research. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all the teachers who participated in the study, as well as from the parents or legal caregivers of all the participating children.

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Seabra-Santos, M.J., Gaspar, M.F., Major, S.O. et al. Promoting Mental Health in Disadvantaged Preschoolers: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of Teacher Training Effects. J Child Fam Stud 27, 3909–3921 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1208-z

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