Systematic review and classification of: The Incredible Years Universal Program (1. ed.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7557/25.7587Keywords:
prevent behavioural problems, Systematic review, social competence, emotional competence, children, parents, prevetionAbstract
Background: This article is a systematic review of the effects of the Incredible Years (IY) universal prevention program Attentive Parenting in the Nordic countries. IY Attentive Parenting is a program provided to parents to prevent behavioral problems and strengthen social and emotional competence among children aged 2 to 6 years. The Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Northern Norway (RKBU Nord), is the purveyor of IY Attentive Parenting in Norway and has a national responsibility for providing training in the program. IY Attentive Parenting is one of several in the series of IY programs for parents and children, which was originally developed in the United States (www.incredibleyears.com).
Method: IY Attentive Parenting is evaluated and classified according to the Ungsinn criteria and procedures for describing interventions, as well as providing a summary of effect studies, quality of the research methods, and quality of implementation. A literature search was carried out in the following databases: Embase, Medline, PsychInfo, NORART, Cochrane, Cristin, NORA, SCOPUS, and SweMed. The search resulted in three articles based on one Norwegian study that were included. In addition, information about IY Attentive Parenting was obtained through documentation provided by the program purveyor (including a manual and other materials).
Results: IY Attentive Parenting is well-described in several documents, including a detailed manual. There is one Norwegian study which has examined the effects of the program on child behavior problems, parenting practices and parental sense of competence. The study is a randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline, post-treatment, 1, and 4 years follow-up, and was considered to have adequate methodological quality. IY Attentive Parenting appears to provide an improvement in symptoms of behavioral problems at post-treatment, compared to participants in the control group. There was no difference between groups during follow-up at 1 and 4 years. The effect of IY Attentive Parenting may thus be understood as providing a more rapid and immediate reduction in symptoms of behavioral problems. The long-term study documented a lasting effect on positive parenting practices over the 4-year period. Parents receiving the IY Attentive Parenting program also reported less use of harsh disciplining on individual measurement occasions. In addition, the study showed increased parenting satisfaction among parents at post-treatment and 1-year follow-up, and an increased sense of competence at post-treatment and 4-year follow-up. The study did not examine any other primary child outcomes such as social and emotional competence. IY Attentive Parenting is considered to have adequate systems to ensure the quality of implementation.
Conclusion: Despite the lack of more long-term effects on children in terms of the main program objectives, IY Attentive Parenting is classified at evidence level 4 – satisfactory evidence of efficacy.
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