Incredible Years Wales:
The Welsh Centre for Promoting
the Incredible Years Programmes
Title:
“Making
the shoe fit: Tailoring the Incredible Years Parent and Child Programmes to
address co-morbid diagnosis and family risk factors”
Presented
by: Carolyn Webster-Stratton, University of Washington,
Seattle and Director Parenting Clinic, Seattle.
Abstract:
Young children (ages 3 - 8 years) with aggressive and
oppositional behaviour (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) frequently have co-morbid
diagnoses or symptoms such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),
internalising problems (e.g., anxiety, depression or fears), developmental delays
and attachment problems. These children also experience higher than normal rates
of stressful family circumstances, such as divorce, and child abuse or neglect
that compound their behavioural or adjustment problems. Moreover, since young
children cannot easily communicate their feelings or worries and the reasons
for their misbehaviour, it is up to the therapists and teachers in collaboration
with parents to look beyond the aggressive symptoms to the underlying reasons
for the misbehaviour and address other less obvious symptoms.
Part of using the Incredible Years programmes successfully is for therapists
and teachers to understand how to tailor the programmes and flexibly adapt the
content or methods so as to meet the developmental needs of each individual
child and family. Fidelity of delivery of these programmes involves the skilled
group leader developing a working model for every child and their parents based
on his or her knowledge of the child's family background and parenting experiences,
biological make up, and functional analyses of the behaviour problems.
Dr. Webster-Stratton will present videotapes of several children with co-morbid
diagnoses in order to illustrate how she tailors the programme to meet the individual
needs of each child and their families as well as the whole group's needs.