Carolyn Webster-Stratton

University of Washington | UW · of Nursing

Parenting programs have proven effective in reducing disruptive child behavior. However, not all families benefit equally, and, to date, we have little insight into who benefits more or less and why. One possible solution is to explore how different potential moderators cluster together in individual families and whether such family profiles predic...

The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of an evidence-based treatment, the Incredible Years® (IY) Small Group Dina Dinosaur Treatment program, as delivered in elementary schools to address the needs of children in kindergarten through second grade with self-regulation difficulties. Adaptations for school-based delivery of 17 in...

Low resting RSA, and to a lesser extent excessive RSA reactivity to emotion evocation, are observed in many psychiatric disorders characterized by emotion dysregulation, including syndromes spanning the internalizing and externalizing spectra, and other conditions such as nonsuicidal self-injury. Nevertheless, some inconsistencies exist. For exampl...

Abnormal patterns of sympathetic- and parasympathetic- linked cardiac activity and reactivity are observed among externalizing children, and mark deficiencies in central nervous system regulation of behavior and emotion. Although changes in these biomarkers have been observed following treatment, mechanisms remain unexplored. We used MEMORE—a new a...

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of the Incredible Years® Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) training on teacher perceptions of parental involvement. A cluster randomized design was used to assign 42 classroom teachers to either an IY TCM training (n = 19) or a control condition (n = 23). Teachers rated parental involve...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the utility of an evidence-based suite of programmes, The Incredible Years (IY), to enhance outcomes for children using a parent-teacher partnership model. Design/methodology/approach – A review of the broad evidence base for the IY parent, teacher and child programmes, uniquely focusing on the int...

The Incredible Years® (IY) program series is a set of interlocking and comprehensive training programs for parents, teachers, and children. This article briefly reviews the theoretical foundations, goals, and research underlying these programs. The main purpose of the paper is to describe how the IY programs have been scaled up slowly and carefully...

Objectives: To evaluate electrodermal activity (EDA) as a prospective biomarker of treatment response, to determine whether patterns of EDA are altered by treatment, and to assess oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as a possible moderator of trajectories in EDA after an empirically supported behavioral intervention for attention-deficit hyperacti...

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the conceptual grounding and content of the evidence-based IY parent and child programs, including research evidence and to discuss the rationale for use of both these programs with families involved with child maltreatment. A brief summary of the methods for working with families involved with child welfa...

Objective The Incredible Years® Series (IY®) intervention has demonstrated efficacy for reduction in conduct disorder (CD) symptomatology among clinically-affected youth in multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Since children with family psychiatric histories of antisocial behavior are at markedly elevated risk for enduring symptoms of anti...

This study examined the effectiveness of an evidence-based parent training program in a real-world Scandinavian setting. Parents of 36 young children with or at risk of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) self-referred to participate in the Incredible Years® Parent Training Program (IYPT) through a Danish early intervention clinic. Using...

Objective: The aim of the study was to extend research on the potential benefits of adding ongoing feedback, coaching, and consultation to initial therapist training workshops to ensure fidelity of delivery of evidence-based practices, specifically for the Incredible Years parenting program. Methods: A randomized controlled trial compared two mo...

This chapter reviews research on the effectiveness of the Incredible Years Parent and Child treatment programs for preschool children with an ADHD diagnosis. It outlines ways in which each program can be tailored to this population while maintaining fidelity to the treatment model. For parents of children with ADHD, tailoring involves helping them...

This resource provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information regarding assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents, including information about the diagnostic interview, neuropsychological testing, comorbidity and differential diagnosis, sleep problems, and treatment interventions (including...

We examined typologies of parenting practices using latent profile analysis (LPA) in a sample of families with young children who had externalizing behavior disorders. We also examined mother and child characteristics associated with class membership using ratings from multiple informants. The sample included pooled data from five parenting treatme...

Introduction: Abundant research has documented the effects of particular classroom management strategies (e.g., praise, reprimands, inconsistent discipline) on student outcomes and classroom climates (Haydon et al., 2010; Simonsen et al., 2010). Recent research has broadened the focus beyond individual variables to examine patterns of strategies wi...

Objective: To evaluate measures of cardiac activity and reactivity as prospective biomarkers of treatment response to an empirically supported behavioral intervention for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Cardiac preejection period (PEP), an index of sympathetic-linked cardiac activity, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RS...

Objective: A prevention form of the Incredible Years (IY) parenting program was offered to parents who had children enrolled in Head Start, regardless of whether they reported having a history of child maltreatment. This study compared whether parenting practices and child behavioral outcomes differed in families who self reported a history of chi...

Efficacies of the Incredible Years (IY) interventions are well-established in children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) but not among those with a primary diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We sought to evaluate 1-year follow-up outcomes among young children with ADHD who were treated with the IY interventions. Fo...

We examined the agreement between mothers and fathers with regard to their children's internalizing symptoms and tested predictors of rating discrepancies. The clinic sample included 181 children (ages 3 to 8) and their mothers and fathers who were participating in a parenting treatment study for children with behavioral problems. Mother-father agr...

La frecuencia de trastornos de conducta en la infancia parece estar en aumento. Sin embargo, hay evidencias de que en la medida en que los niños y niñas son más jóvenes en el momento de la intervención, serán mejores los efectos en su ajuste comportamental tanto en el domicilio como en el colegio. La educación parental puede ser una forma efectiva...

This article focuses on the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Training (IY TCM) intervention as an example of an evidence-based program that embeds coaching within its design. First, the core features of the IY TCM program are described. Second, the IY TCM coaching model and processes utilized to facilitate high fidelity of implementati...

This article focuses on the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management (IY TCM) intervention as an example of an evidence-based program that embeds fidelity and adaptation within its design. First, the core features of the IY TCM program along with the methods, processes, and principles that make the intervention effective are described. The imp...

The Incredible Years (IY) Series includes separate group interventions to improve parenting interactions, teacher classroom management, and child social-emotional regulation. Although originally developed to treat early onset conduct problems, IY targets many of the proposed mechanisms and risk factors for internalizing distress in early childhood....

The efficacy of the Incredible Years parent and child training programs is established in children diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder but not among young children whose primary diagnosis is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We conducted a randomized control trial evaluating the combined parent and child program intervention...

Background and method: Fifty-eight boys and 20 girls with early onset conduct problems whose parents received the Incredible Years (IY) parent treatment program when they were 3–8 years (mean 58.7 months) were contacted and reassessed regarding their social and emotional adjustment 8–12 years later. Assessments included home interviews with parents...

The goal of this study was to evaluate the delivery of a parenting program to 17 Korean immigrants for cultural and linguistic appropriateness and usefulness regarding recruitment, retention, program content, and delivery methods. Focus group interview data were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed. Themes identified included fit between the paren...

The incidence of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) in children is alarmingly high, with reported cases of early-onset conduct problems occurring in 4–6% of young children (Egger & Angold, 2006), and as high as 35% of young children in low-income families (Webster-Stratton & Hammond, 1998). Developmental theorists have su...

The purpose of this study was to compare 40 clinic-referred conduct-disordered children and their mothers with 28 "normal" or nonclinic children and their mothers on mother behaviors, child behaviors, and mother reports of child behaviors. The study used two independent observational systems: One assessed the quantity of negative behaviors both 'in...

Families referred to child welfare for maltreatment and neglect are frequently mandated to attend parenting programmes. Evidence-based parenting programmes (EBPs) are under-utilised or not delivered with fidelity for this population. The Incredible Years (IY) parenting programme is an EPB that has been proven to reduce harsh parenting, increase pos...

The Incredible Years (IY) Series is a well-established set of parent, teacher, and child programs for treating and preventing conduct problems and promoting social competence and emotional regulation in young children. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of this evidence-based series within the context of a prevention science...

Increases in personal computer ownership and Internet use patterns provide a potential avenue for dissemination of evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions. The authors describe the implementation of a psychoeducational intervention (the Incredible Years parenting program, which is designed to promote behavioral change in parents and c...

The present study tested the impact of a parent behavior-management intervention on child depressive and internalizing symptoms. One hundred eighty-one children were randomly assigned to receive a videotape modeling parenting intervention, the Incredible Years, or to a wait-list control group. Children who received the intervention were more likely...

Background: School readiness, conceptualized as three components including emotional self-regulation, social competence, and family/school involvement, as well as absence of conduct problems play a key role in young children's future interpersonal adjustment and academic success. Unfortunately, exposure to multiple poverty-related risks increases...

Young children who are referred to mental health agencies because of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct problems (CP) frequently have comorbid diagnoses or symptoms such as attention deficit disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity (ADHD), language/learning and developmental, or autism spectrum disorders. Research has shown that th...

Research demonstrates that interventions targeting multiple settings within a child's life are more effective in treating or preventing conduct disorder. One such program is the Incredible Years Series, which comprises three treatment components, each focused on a different context and type of daily social interaction that a child encounters. This...

Traditional Korean American discipline is characterized by a lack of expression of affection and use of harsh discipline. The purpose of this study was to pilot test the effect of the Incredible Years Parenting Program among Korean American mothers. A randomized controlled experimental study design was used; 29 first-generation Korean American moth...

The Incredible Years parent and classroom interventions were evaluated for the first time in elementary schools. Culturally diverse, socioeconomically disadvantaged schools were randomly assigned to intervention or control (CON). In intervention schools, all children received a 2-year classroom intervention beginning in kindergarten. In addition, i...

home and school environments) and are generally more effective than single-component behavioral interventions. Whether the multi-component approach is cost-effective remains an unanswered question.This article analyzes two decades of data from the Incredible Years (IY) Series to examine the costeffectiveness of delivering multiple, stacked interven...

In elk gezin komen wel eens conflicten voor en elk kind heeft wel eens gedragsproblemen. Een van de kenmerken van een goed lopend gezin is het vermogen om onenigheid op te lossen op een manier die iedereen tevreden stelt. Gezinnen die problemen kunnen oplossen door de nodige veranderingen door te voeren, maken een goede kans om bevredigende onderli...

Hoewel de sociale en emotionele ontwikkeling van een kind gebaseerd is op liefde, aanmoediging, begrip en communicatie van de ouders, is het daarnaast noodzakelijk dat ouders duidelijke grenzen stellen in de vorm van consequenties voor ongewenst gedrag. Veel ouders hebben een vorm van lichamelijk straffen geprobeerd, een standje geven of het laten...

In het voorgaande hoofdstuk hebben we besproken hoe ouders sociale beloningen kunnen geven in de vorm van aandacht, prijzen en aanmoedigen. Daarnaast vormen tastbare beloningen een belangrijke manier om positief gedrag bij kinderen aan te moedigen. Een tastbare beloning is iets concreets: iets lekkers, een extra privilege, stickers, geld. Deze belo...

This article reviews selected parenting programs for children aged 2-8 years old to inform primary-care pediatricians about options for families of children with behavior problems. Young children with aggressive and oppositional behavior are at risk for serious antisocial behavior that may persist into adolescence and adulthood. Most parents wish t...

Several child conduct problem interventions have been classified as either efficacious or well established. Nevertheless, much remains to be learned about predictors of treatment response and mechanisms of behavioral change. In this study, the authors combine data from 6 randomized clinical trials and 514 children, ages 3.0-8.5 years, to evaluate m...

We examined parent and child moderators of outcome, program engagement effects, and predictors of engagement in the Incredible Years Parent Training Program. Head Start classrooms (N = 882 children) were randomly assigned to an intervention condition (that received the Incredible Years program) or to a control condition (that received usual Head St...

The ability of young children to manage their emotions and behaviors and to make meaningful friendships is an important prerequisite for school readiness and academic success. Socially competent children are also more academically successful and poor social skills are a strong predictor of academic failure. This article describes The Incredible Yea...

Families of 159, 4- to 8-year-old children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) were randomly assigned to parent training (PT); parent plus teacher training (PT + TT); child training (CT); child plus teacher training (CT + TT); parent, child, plus teacher training (PT + CT + TT); or a waiting list control. Reports and independent observations w...

Head Start centers were randomly assigned to intervention (parent training) or control conditions, and the role of maternal mental health risk factors on participation in and benefit from parent training was examined. Parenting was measured by parent report and independent observation in 3 domains: harsh/negative, supportive/positive, inconsistent/...

This paper presents 2-year follow-up data for a sample of 159, 4- to 7-year-old children with oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) who were randomly assigned to: parent training (PT), parent plus teacher training (PT + TT), child training (CT), child plus teacher training (CT + TT), parent plus child plus teacher training (PT + CT + TT). At the 2-ye...

Young preschool and early-school-age children with early onset conduct problems are at high risk for school dropout, substance abuse, violence, and delinquency in later years. Consequently, developing treatment strategies for reducing conduct problems when aggression is in its more malleable form prior to age 8, and thus interrupting its progressio...

Reports an error in the original article by D. Gross et al (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2003[Apr], Vol 71[2], pp. 261-278). The article was mistitled. The correct title is "Parent Training with Multi-Ethnic Families of Toddlers in Day Care in Low-Income Urban Communities". (The following abstract of the article originally appeare...

The authors tested a 12-week parent training program with parents (n = 208) and teachers (n = 77) of 2-3-year-olds in day care centers serving low-income families of color in Chicago. Eleven centers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: (a) parent and teacher training (PT + TT), (b) parent training (PT), (c) teacher training (TT), and (d) wa...

Parent training is one of the most effective treatments for young children with conduct problems. However, not every family benefits from this approach and approximately one-third of children remain in the clinical range at follow-up assessments. Little is known about factors affecting treatment outcome for young children. Hierarchical linear model...

Outlines the Incredible Years Training Series, targeted at parents, teachers, and children (aged 2-8 yrs). This chapter reviews these training programs and their associated research. Characteristics of the program are noted. Goals of the parent programs are to promote parent competencies and strengthen families. The authors hypothesized that becaus...

The effectiveness of the Incredible Years Parenting Program was evaluated in a low-income sample of Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian mothers whose children were enrolled in Head Start. Data from two prior intervention studies [Webster-Stratton (1998) Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66(5), 715–730; Webster-Stratton et...

Families of 99 children with early-onset conduct problems, aged 4-8 years, were randomly assigned to a child training treatment group (CT) utilizing the Incredible Years Dinosaur Social Skills and Problem Solving Curriculum or a waiting-list control group (CON). Post-treatment CT children had significantly fewer externalizing problems at home, less...

This bulletin describes state-of-the-art universal and selective prevention programs designed to promote parent and teacher competencies and to prevent conduct problems. In addition, it describes indicated interventions designed for children who already have been diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder and/or conduct disorder. Emphasis is plac...

Studied the effectiveness of parent and teacher training as a selective prevention program for 272 Head Start mothers and their 4-year-old children and 61 Head Start teachers. Fourteen Head Start centers (34 classrooms) were randomly assigned to (a) an experimental condition in which parents, teachers, and family service workers participated in the...

Young children who present for treatment with oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD) frequently exhibit these symptoms across settings and often show comorbid symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or internalizing symptoms such as anxiety or depression. Parent training programs to treat these childre...

Objective To see whether a behaviourally based group parenting programme, delivered in regular clinical practice, is an effective treatment for antisocial behaviour in children. Design Controlled trial with permuted block design with allocation by date of referral. Setting Four local child and adolescent mental health services. Participants 141 chi...

This article summarizes the Incredible Years Training Series which consists of three empirically validated and integrated programs for parents, teachers and children that are designed to promote social competence and prevent, reduce and treat conduct problems in young children ages 3 to 8 years. This summary explains the risk and protective factors...

This study tested the effectiveness of parent training (PT) as a health promotion/prevention intervention. Participants were parents of toddlers enrolled in 11 urban day care centers serving low-income families of color. The 12-week intervention consisted of a video-based PT program with group discussion. Eleven centers were matched and assigned to...

This study examined whether the link between marital conflict management style and child conduct problems with peers and parents is direct or mediated by mothers' and fathers' parenting style (critical parenting and low emotional responsivity). One hundred and twenty children, aged 4 to 7 years, were observed interacting in our laboratory playroom...

This study examined whether the link between marital conflict management style and child conduct problems with peers and parents is direct or mediated by mothers' and fathers' parenting style (critical parenting and low emotional responsivity). One hundred and twenty children, aged 4 to 7 years, were observed interacting in our laboratory playroom...

This study examined qualitative aspects of the peer relationships of children with conduct problems in a laboratory assessment procedure. The sample consisted of 101 children aged 4 to 7 years identified by parents as having oppositional behavior problems. Positive social skills and negative conflict tactics were coded. Additionally, two categories...

This study examined qualitative aspects of the peer relationships of children with conduct problems in a laboratory assessment procedure. The sample consisted of 101 children aged 4 to 7 years identified by parents as having oppositional behavior problems. Positive social skills and negative conflict tactics were coded. Additionally, two categories...

Examined the differences in various facets of social competence in 2 groups of young children (ages 4-7 years)--a clinic-referred group of aggressive children (N = 60) diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct problems and a matched comparison group of typically developing children (N = 60). Four aspects of social competence were asse...

The effectiveness of a parenting program with 394 Head Start mothers was examined. Nine Head Start centers were randomly assigned to either an experimental condition in which parents, teachers, and family service workers participated in the intervention or a control condition in which the regular Head Start program was offered. Mothers in the inter...

The purpose of the current project was to determine the prevalence of conduct problems, low social competence, and associated risk factors in a sample of 4-year-old low-income children (N = 426) from 64 Head Start classrooms in the Seattle area. Conduct problems and social competence were assessed based on a combination of teacher reports, parent r...

This chapter provides a description of a videotape and research-based parent training program designed to prevent and treat conduct problems in young children, 3 to 8 yrs old. The program was designed with the broad goals of (a) strengthening parenting competence, especially the use of nonviolent discipline approaches; (b) increasing positive famil...

Children from certain types of families are at particularly high risk for developing conduct disorders (CD): namely, families characterized by factors such as low income, low educational level, high levels of stress, single-parent status, lack of support, and a history of ongoing depression, criminal activity, substance abuse, or psychiatric illnes...

Families of 97 children with early-onset conduct problems, 4 to 8 years old, were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: a parent training treatment group (PT), a child training group (CT), a combined child and parent training group (CT + PT), or a waiting-list control group (CON). Posttreatment assessments indicated that all 3 treatment condition...

For low-income families, particularly, parent-training programs need to be broadened and offered in communities in order to reduce isolation and strengthen support networks of families. Such an approach will lead not only to better parenting and fewer child-behavior problems, but also to greater collaboration with schools and more community buildin...

Families of 97 children with early-onset conduct problems, 4 to 8 years old, were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: a parent training treatment group (PT), a child training group (CT), a combined child and parent training group (CT + PT), or a waiting-list control group (CON). Posttreatment assessments indicated that all 3 treatment condition...

What sets this book apart . . . is its careful attention to, and elucidation of, the "collaborative process" in working with these oppositional, defiant, and conduct-disordered children and their families. Essentially, the goal then is to empower the parents and to teach them to cope more effectively with their child. This goal is achieved throug...

Baseline assessments of 64 girls and 158 boys (aged 4-7 years) diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or early-onset conduct problems, or both, were examined for gender-linked differences in behavioral symptoms. Child variables, parenting variables, and family variables were correlated with teacher reports of externalizing problems at s...

presents [the author's] studies of an interactive intervention program for families of young children [3–8 yr olds] with oppositional defiant disorder, the BASIC program, which involves parental self-management and conflict-resolution techniques / in addition, a family training intervention component promotes parental self-control, communication sk...

What is qualitative research? Why should we do it? After all, isn’t quantitative research the only “legitimate” method of scientific research— objective, verifiable, and methodologically rigorous? Does qualitative research have scientific integrity? Is it reliable? Valid? Generalizable? Can it add anything new to the findings of quantitative resear...

Children from certain types of families are at particularly high risk for developing conduct disorders (CD): namely, families characterized by factors such as low income, low educational level, high levels of stress, single-parent status, lack of support, and a history of ongoing depression, criminal activity, substance abuse, or psychiatric illnes...

This study examines the specific effects of adding a broader based, videotape treatment component (ADVANCE) to a basic videotape parent skills training program (GDVM). ADVANCE treatment trains parents to cope with interpersonal distress through improved communication, problem solving, and self-control skills. Seventy-eight families with a child dia...