Abstract
Objective: Outcomes are presented from a public mental health early intervention program for children aged 5–9 years with disruptive behaviours.
Method: This was a school-based intervention initiative, delivered within a psychiatric child and adolescent mental health service and includes child, parent and teacher components. Participants were 235 children selected via school-based population assessments.
Results: A baseline period was used as a form of control that would demonstrate the stability of problem behaviours. Results showed that during a 26-week baseline period, teachers reported increasing levels of problem behaviour, and that the behaviour was creating increased difficulty in the classroom. The shorter 7-week baseline also showed the difficult behaviours were ongoing. Following the intervention, significant improvements in children's behaviour were seen on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire reported by parents (η2 = 0.30) and teachers (η2 = 0.23), and on the parent Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (η2 = 0.35), and teacher Sutter-Eyberg Student Behaviour Inventory (η2 = 0.22).
Conclusion: The outcomes show promising results from an early intervention program delivered in schools by a public mental health service and are discussed within the context of dissemination of evidence-based programs though mental health services.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This program was funded by the Mental Health Branch of the Department of Human Services, Victoria. We are grateful to all the professionals from Ballarat Health Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Grampian Region, and Catholic Education, Ballarat.
DISCLOSURE
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.