“I want to behave prosocially and I can choose to do so”: Effectiveness of TIGER (Kanjertraining) in 8- to 11-year-olds

Abstract

This study examined whether TIGER (“Kanjertraining” in the Netherlands) reduces psychosocial problems in eight- to eleven-year-olds in a mental health-care setting. TIGER is a cognitive behavioural intervention in the peer group, with an additional parent component. Characterizing features include the emphasis on affirming children's prosocial intentions and feelings of responsibility for their own behaviour. To study effectiveness in routine daily practice, a quasi-experimental design with 185 intervention and 39 waiting list control children was used. Results indicated that TIGER significantly reduced externalizing and internalizing problems. Children with clinical-level internalizing problems at pretest benefited more from TIGER than children with subclinical or nonclinical internalizing problems. Effect sizes (between .33 and .46) were in the small to medium range and comparable to behavioural parent-training and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Future interesting topics to study are the long-term effects of TIGER and mechanisms of change.

Keywords::

• Intervention
• Psychosocial problems
• Effectiveness
• Responsibility
• Intention

Acknowledgements

Conflict of Interest: Lilian Vliek works as a psychologist for the Institute for Kanjertraining. Therefore, she has a conflict of interest. She delivers the TIGER intervention to teachers and did not give the training currently assessed.

Notes

¹ Analyses of mothers' and fathers' scores separately revealed the same significant effects for mother as for the aggregated scores. The effect sizes were similar or larger for mothers separately. Intervention effects reported by fathers revealed significant effects for total problems, externalizing problems and aggression. Effect sizes were similar to the aggregated scores (.41, .40, .30). Effects of internalizing, withdrawn depressed and social problems did not reach significance in fathers, although fathers still reported small positive effect sizes (.34, .39, .34).