title: The effectiveness of two universal preventive interventions in reducing children's externalizing behavior: a cluster randomized controlled trial.
abstract: This article reports the effectiveness of two universal prevention programs in reducing externalizing behavior in elementary school children. A sample of 1,675 first graders in 56 Swiss elementary schools was randomly assigned to a school-based social competence intervention, a parental training intervention, both, or control. Externalizing psychopathology and social competence ratings were provided by the children, primary caregivers, and teachers at the beginning and end of the 2-year program, with a follow-up 2 years later. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that long-term effects on teacher- and parent-rated externalizing behavior were greater for the social competence intervention than for the control. However, for most outcomes, no statistically significant positive effects were observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. tina.malti@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malti
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ribeaud
authors.forename: Manuel P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Eisner
mesh_terms: D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology