Outcomes of a school-based program for young children with disruptive behaviors

This article reports on outcomes of an Australian pilot school-based early intervention program called Got It! (Getting On Track In Time!). Findings contribute to evidence for the effectiveness of interventions for children with early-onset conduct problems. The Got It! program incorporates universal and targeted components for children ages five to eight years with emerging conduct problems, during their first three years of schooling (K–2). A mixed methods research design entailed pre- and postintervention measures of child behavior and of parenting practices for 60 families who completed the targeted intervention. In addition, qualitative data were gathered in parent and carer interviews. Significant improvements on outcome measures were supported by qualitative findings. Improved scores were maintained by 85 percent of children at the six- to eight-months follow-up. This early evaluation research indicates positive impacts from Got It! for many of the families participating in the targeted intervention. A partnership between health and education is fundamental to the program model. The school context for program delivery was found to support engagement with families who would not otherwise access services.