The Incredible Years: A Trouble-Shooting Guide for Parents of Children Aged 3-8

Product Information

Children involved in these interventions were between two and 10 years old. Older and younger children were found to be equally likely to benefit from involvement in the Incredible Years programme. Status — Participants were children aged 4–8 referred for treatment because of oppositional or conduct problems reported by their parents. Cost-effectiveness analyses suggests that the Incredible Years intervention can provide savings to the public sector in the longer term. Incredible Years is an evidence based parenting programme in which parents learn to break negative parent-child interaction cycles. It has been rolled out in England and Wales. Webster-Stratton, C. H., Reid, M. J., & Marsenich, L. (2014). Improving therapist fidelity during implementation of evidence-based practices: Incredible Years program. Psychiatric Services. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201200177

There seems to be equal effect across age and ethnicity. However it is suggested that the intervention is more effective for boys. Long-term outcomes of Incredible Years parenting program: Predictors of adolescent adjustment. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 16(1), 38-46. CAPS deliver the Incredible Years programme for 14 weeks to parents of children aged two to four, or for 10 weeks for parents of children aged up to two.

Program Overview

Incredible Years tended to show a mixed effect on positive parenting. This is based on high strength evidence. The findings showed an increased use of positive praise. However parents did not report using more rewards or monitoring behaviours. Research issues such as program evaluation, consultation regarding research design, assuring program fidelity, and measures to use with IY programs.

The Incredible Years Child Training Program (Dina Dinosaur Social Skills and Problem-Solving Curriculum) - The Child Training program promotes social competency and reduces conduct problems. Children are trained in four areas: The 3rd edition of this book for parents has been revised to include new and expanded chapters on coaching (academic, persistence, social and emotion coaching), plus new chapters on social media, screen time, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. This is an amazing book that covers research-based parenting strategies for all families. Positive discipline techniques are described in detail illustrated with true-to-life examples to help parents prevent behavior problems and promote their children’s social and emotional competence. The role of mental health factors and program engagement in the effectiveness of a preventive parenting program for Head Start mothers. Child Development, 74(5), 1433-1453.The high strength of evidence rating for this meta-analysis is based on having a large overall sample size and inclusion of only Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs).