Mediators, Moderators, and Predictors of One-Year Outcomes Among Children Treated for Early-Onset Conduct Problems: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis

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. This study combines data from six randomized clinical trials and 514 children, ages 3.0-8.5, to evaluate moderators, mediators, and predictors of outcome. Among other findings, latent growth curve models of mother-report and observational measures of child externalizing behaviors suggested that marital adjustment, maternal depression, paternal substance abuse, and child comorbid anxiety/depression each moderated treatment response. Moreover, critical, harsh, and ineffective parenting predicted and mediated outcome, with the most favorable responses observed when parents scored relatively low on each construct at intake yet improved during treatment. Implications for treatment non-responders are discussed.

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