Predictors of persistence in a longitudinal preventive intervention program for young disruptive boys.
Several investigators have underlined the importance of long-term prevention programs in order to expect positive results for at-risk children. One essential prerequisite to addressing this issue is the retention of participants in such programs. The present study aims at examining the contribution of mother-child interactions, mother's social isolation, improvement in the mother-child relationship, and improvement in the child's behavior to the prediction of persistence. Participants (n = 59 disruptive boys) were recruited for a 3-year multicomponent preventive intervention program. Results indicated an improvement of the boys' behavior (reduction of inattention/hyperactivity and reduction of fighting) during the first year of the program, and showed that mother-child positive interactions before the beginning of the program were the best predictors of persistence. Implications of these results for long-term preventive programs are discussed.
Charlebois
P
P
Ecole de psychoéducation, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. charlebp@psyced.umontreal.ca
Vitaro
F
F
Normandeau
S
S
Rondeau
N
N
D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome