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Gerald R. Patterson’s theoretical work on childhood aggression strongly influenced the development of the training programs. Patterson’s social learning model emphasizes the importance of the family and teacher socialization processes, especially those affecting young children. His “coercion hypothesis” states that negative reinforcement develops and maintains children’s deviant behaviors and the parents’ and teachers’ critical or coercive behaviors. The parents’ or teachers’ behaviors must therefore be changed so that the children’s social interactions can be altered. If parents and teachers can learn to give more attention to positive behaviors than negative behaviors and manage children’s misbehavior with proactive discipline and appropriate problem-solving, the children can develop social competence, emotional regulation, and reduce aggressive behavior at home and at school.

Bandura’s modeling and self-efficacy theories form the basis for the training which is based on principles of live and video modeling, rehearsal, self-management, cognitive self-control, and self-reflection.

Bowlby’s attachment theory has elucidated the importance of the affective nature of the parent-child relationships. The foundation of the Incredible Years® programs focuses on building warm and nurturing parent-child and teacher-child relationships through child directed play, social and emotion coaching, praise and incentives.

Parent Program Evidence: Evidence of Parent Program Effectiveness as a Treatment Program with Clinic Populations of Children Diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and ADHD (ages 3-8 years):

Eight randomized control group trials (RCTs) by the developer and six RCTs by independent investigators of the parenting series with diagnosed children have indicated the following significant findings:

Evidence of Parent Program Effectiveness as a Prevention Program with a Selective Population of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Families of Children (ages 2-12 years):

Four RCTs by the developer and six RCTs by independent investigators of the parenting series with high risk populations (e.g. Head Start and Sure Start) indicated significant improvements in positive parenting interactions, reductions in harsh discipline with children, reductions in aggressive behavior problems and increases in child social competence.

Teacher Program Evidence: Evidence of Teacher Classroom Management Program Effectiveness by Developer with Clinic Populations of Children Diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ages 3-8 years):

One RCT by the developer of the teacher training with diagnosed children indicated significant:

• Increases in teacher use of praise and encouragement and reduced use of criticism and harsh discipline.
• Increases in children’s positive affect and cooperation with teachers, positive interactions with peers, school readiness and engagement with school activities.
• Reductions in peer aggression in the classroom.

Evidence of Teacher Classroom Management Program Effectiveness by Developer and Independent Investigators with Selected Populations of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Children (ages 3-8 years):

Two RCTs by the developer and five RCTs by independent investigators of the teacher training series with high risk populations indicated significant improvements in positive discipline and proactive management skills and decreases in classroom aggression and increases in children’s pro social behavior.

Child Program Evidence: Evidence of Child Dinosaur Treatment Program Effectiveness by Developer and Independent Investigators with Clinic Populations of Children Diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and ADHD (ages 4-8 years):

Three RCTs by the developer and one RCT by an independent investigator of the small group dinosaur child treatment series with diagnosed children indicated significant:

• Increases in children’s emotional language, social skills, and appropriate cognitive problem-solving strategies with peers.
• Reductions in conduct problems at home and school.
• Reductions in hyperactivity and inattention.

Evidence of Child Dinosaur Classroom Program by Developer with Selected Populations of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Populations (ages 3-8 years):

Two RCTs with Head Start families and Primary grade classrooms indicated significant improvements in school readiness, emotional regulation and social skills and reductions in behavior problems in the classroom. Summaries of this research can be found in the following two review chapters.

The Incredible Years® Parent, Teacher, and Child Training Programs have been proven in numerous randomized control group studies to be effective for promoting positive parent and teacher interactions and relationships with children, strengthening children’s emotional literacy and self regulation, social competence and problem solving skills, and reducing behavior problems in both prevention and clinic populations.

To obtain similar outcomes it is important to assure that the program is delivered with the highest degree of fidelity possible. Fidelity means that the program is delivered in its entirety, using all the recommended components, therapeutic processes and number of sessions.

Our core training methods and supervision ensure replication of the Incredible Years® programs with fidelity. We offer five steps to success:

Presentations from the 2019 Mentor Meeting in Bainbridge Island, Washington

Presentations from the 2018 Mentor Meeting in Forcalquier, France

Presentations from the 2017 Mentor Meeting in Bainbridge Island, WA, USA

Presentations from the 2016 Mentor Meeting in Utrecht, The Netherlands

Other Presentations