Transdisciplinary Approach to Predicting Differential Effects of a Model Intervention on Children's Behavior

Introduction

To maximize program effectiveness for a greater number of children at an age prior to entrenchment of problems, it is critical to determine which individual features (e.g., level of neurocognitive and emotional functioning) are most amenable to which program components. The present study hypothesized that relative deficits in emerging inhibitory control (IC) and emotion regulatory (ER( functions associated with behavioral problems may moderate intervention effects on behavioral outcomes/change. Given that “skills” are more alterable than “traits”, skill-based functions were of particular interest in the present study. Theoretically, an intervention designed to strengthen emerging IC and ER functions that underlie social behaviors early in life has great potential to reduce risk for later maladaptive behavioral outcomes.

Methods

Participants were ~300 kindergartners in 4 urban schools. Using a randomized trial design, the PATHS program was implemented within kindergarten classrooms through first grade in 2 schools with 2 additional schools acting as an active control condition. The schools serve a demographically mixed community with relatively low academic achievement and a high level of behavioral problems. Incentives, testing, and observations for students similar to the protocol conducted in the experimental schools were used in the control schools. Pretests were conducted in the fall of K to assess background and behavioral factors, cognitive functioning, and emotional regulation. Measures were repeated once at the completion of the 9-month school year, again at the end of first grade, and then midway during second grade following program completion.  Teachers were also interviewed pre and post-intervention and peers were interviewed post-K and post-first grade.

Results

Measures of intelligence, language, inhibitory control (IC), emotion regulation (ER) and attention were collected in a location of the schools outside of the classroom during two separate sessions.  Various dimensions of IC were measured, including the following tasks: peg-tapping, go/no-go, and delay of gratification.  ER was measured with a facial recognition task, the McArthur Story Stem Battery (MSSB) and psychophysiological monitoring (not reported here).  Particular measures of IC and ER significantly predicted intervention outcomes. Children who performed less well on these specific tasks exhibited less favorable behavioral change in response to PATHS relative to children with higher levels of functioning and to control children.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that children with lower level of particular cognitive and emotion regulatory functioning may be preparatory intervention or other special programming prior to receipt of PATHS.  It is likely that these children would benefit from this additional intervention with respect to their ability to self-regulate in the classroom and digest school curricular activities.  Identification of the underlying bases for individual differences in intervention responsivity is critical to tailor preventive approaches to specific needs of subgroups, thereby enhancing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and maximization of impact.