Reducing Children's Aggressive and Oppositional Behaviors in the Schools: Preliminary Results on the Effectiveness of a Social-Cognitive Group Intervention Program

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of a social-cognitive group intervention program for children with oppositional and aggressive behaviors. Forty-two children aged between 9 and 12 years who clearly displayed behavior problems at school were treated with the program. A cross-over design was used in which one group of children first received treatment and then was assigned to a waiting period, whereas the other group of children first waited and subsequently received treatment. Treatment effects were assessed by means of standardized instruments completed by children, parents, and teachers. Results demonstrated that the social-cognitive intervention yielded a significant reduction of behavior problems and an increase of social-cognitive skills as compared to the waiting list control condition. Further, a follow-up assessment of the children who were initially treated indicated that the intervention effects were retained over a three-month period. Finally, some support was found for the theoretical underpinnings of the social-cognitive intervention program. More specifically, a greater increase in social-cognitive skills was to some extent associated with a larger reduction of behavior problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavior problems
• school children
• social-cognitive group intervention