Testing the Efficacy of Coping Power Universal on Behavioral Problems and Pre-academic Skills in Preschoolers

Abstract

The Coping Power Program is an evidence-based intervention for children identified to be at risk for developing externalizing behavioral problems. The Coping Power Program has been adapted to universally prevent behavioral problems in school-aged children. This study sought to test the efficacy of this adaptation, the Coping Power Universal program, on preschoolers' behavioral difficulties and pre-academic skills. Teachers delivered the intervention in their classes. The study included a sample of Italian children (N = 250, 125 boys) with a mean age of 4.50 years (SD = .50) at the beginning of the study. Classrooms of these children were randomly assigned to receive either the intervention or the Italian preschool standard curriculum. Measures included a questionnaire and objective and standardized measures for numerical intelligence and metaphonological skills delivered by a psychologist to the preschoolers. Classes in which teachers applied the Coping Power Universal program showed lower problematic behaviors and higher pre-academic skills than those in which teachers followed the standard curriculum only. Although further studies are still needed, the current findings showed that the Coping Power Universal program can be adapted for preschoolers with good results. Implications for practice, methodological limitations, and directions for future research are reviewed.