Early intervention for preschoolers with behaviour problems: Preliminary findings for the Exploring Together Preschool Program

Abstract

There is increasing recognition of the need for early intervention into behavioural problems in preschool aged children (3–6 years) to prevent long-term adverse outcomes. This paper reports on the Exploring Together Preschool Program (ETPP), an innovative, developmental theory based, early intervention program, aimed at preschoolers referred with behaviour problems who are at risk of developing ongoing mental health problems. ETPP is a multifaceted group program comprising parent behaviour management training, parent-child interaction therapy, and children’s social problem-solving training. Seven groups comprising 37 preschoolers and one of their parents referred from clinical and community settings participated in the 10-week program. Results indicate that children’s behaviour problems reduced clinically and significantly from pre- to post-program whilst social skills improved significantly. Parenting practices and parents’ satisfaction with their role also improved significantly. Improvements were mostly maintained at 6-month follow-up. Developmental theory suggests that these changes will help prevent behaviour problems from developing into long-term, enduring mental health problems. The study provides preliminary evidence that ETPP is a theoretically and developmentally sound, comprehensive intervention for Australian families with preschool aged children who show early signs of mental health problems.