First Step to Success: An Early Intervention Approach for Preventing School Antisocial Behavior

This article reports results of a 4-year study designed to develop and initially evaluate a combined home and school intervention approach to preventing school antisocial behavior. The First Step to Success program targets at-risk kindergartners who show the early signs of an antisocial pattern of b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of emotional and behavioral disorders 1998-07, Vol.6 (2), p.66-80
Main Authors: WALKER, HILL M., KAVANAGH, KATE, STILLER, BRUCE, GOLLY, ANNEMIEKE, SEVERSON, HERBERT H., FEIL, EDWARD G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antisocial Behavior
Antisocial behaviour
Behavior Disorders
Behavior Patterns
Control Groups
Early Intervention
Early intervention programmes
Emotional Disturbances
High Risk Students
Interpersonal Competence
Kindergarten
Parent Participation
Parent Teacher Cooperation
Preschool Children
Prevention
Primary Education
Schools
Social Skills Training
Students
Young Children
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Summary:This article reports results of a 4-year study designed to develop and initially evaluate a combined home and school intervention approach to preventing school antisocial behavior. The First Step to Success program targets at-risk kindergartners who show the early signs of an antisocial pattern of behavior (e.g., aggression, oppositional-defiant behavior, severe tantrumming, victimization of others). First Step to Success consists of three interconnected modules: (a) proactive, universal screening of all kindergartners; (b) school intervention involving the teacher, peers, and the target child; and (c) parent/caregiver training and involvement to support the child's school adjustment. The major goal of the program is to divert at-risk kindergartners from an antisocial path in their subsequent school careers. Two cohorts of at-risk kindergartners, consisting of 24 and 22 students, were identified and exposed to the First Step to Success program during the 1993–1994 and 1994–1995 school years, respectively. A randomized, experimental, wait-list control-group design was used to evaluate intervention effects. Cohort 1 and 2 subjects were followed up through Grades 2 and 1, respectively, with differing teachers and peer groups. Results indicated a measurable intervention effect for both cohorts and persistence of gains into the primary grades.
ISSN:1063-4266
1538-4799
DOI:10.1177/106342669800600201