A Review of Intervention Programs to Prevent and Treat Behavioral Problems in Young Children with Developmental Disabilities.
Parent-training programs keep delivering medium-to-large behavior gains for toddlers and preschoolers with developmental disabilities.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The author hunted for every controlled trial that taught parents how to handle behavior problems in young kids with developmental delays. Seventeen studies made the cut.
All trials had to include parent training as the main tool and measure child behavior before and after.
What they found
Across the 17 trials, parent-training programs gave medium-to-large drops in hitting, yelling, and other tough behaviors.
The gains showed up for toddlers and preschoolers with various developmental disabilities, not just autism.
How this fits with other research
Heyvaert et al. (2010) ran a meta-analysis two years earlier and also saw a medium cut in challenging behavior, so the new review repeats that message with fresher trials.
Lory et al. (2020) later found very large effects inside inclusive classrooms, hinting that teacher-led plans may add extra punch after parents start the work at home.
Pacia et al. (2021) shifted the spotlight to social-communication gains from parent training, showing the same tool fixes both behavior and language when you pick the right program.
Why it matters
You now have a stack of reviews saying parent training works for behavior, language, and social skills. Pick one evidence-based package, teach caregivers first, then loop in school staff for a booster. Start early, keep it simple, and track behavior weekly so parents see the win.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with developmental disabilities are at higher risk for internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems than children in the general population. Effective prevention and treatment programs are necessary to reduce the burden of behavioral problems in this population. The current review identified 17 controlled trials of nine intervention programs for young children with developmental disabilities, with parent training the most common type of intervention in this population. Nearly all studies demonstrated medium to large intervention effects on child behavior post-intervention. Preliminary evidence suggests interventions developed for the general population can be effective for children with developmental disabilities and their families. A greater emphasis on the prevention of behavior problems in young children with developmental disabilities prior to the onset of significant symptoms or clinical disorders is needed. Multi-component interventions may be more efficacious for child behavior problems and yield greater benefits for parent and family adjustment. Recommendations for future research directions are provided.
Journal of developmental and physical disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1007/s10882-013-9336-2