Early Risers 'Skills for Success' Program
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
Early Risers is a multicomponent, high-intensity, competency-enhancement program that targets elementary school children (ages 6 to 10) who are at high risk for early development of conduct problems, including substance use (i.e., who display early aggressive, disruptive, or nonconformist behaviors). The program is based on the premise that early, comprehensive, and sustained intervention is necessary to target multiple risk and protective factors. Early Risers uses a full-strength intervention model with two complementary components to move high-risk children onto a more adaptive developmental pathway. Interventions include
- Parent education and skills training
- Proactive parent-school consultation
- Child social skills training and strategic peer involvement
- Reading and math instruction and educational enrichment activities
- Family support, consultation, and brief interventions to cope with stress
- Contingency management of aggressive, disruptive, and noncompliant behavior
The enhanced competence gained through the program leads to the development of positive self-image, independent decision-making, healthy problem-solving, assertive communication, and constructive coping. Once acquired, these attributes and skills collectively enable youths to resist personal and social forces that encourage early substance use and potential abuse and dependency.
- Parent education and skills training
- Proactive parent-school consultation
- Child social skills training and strategic peer involvement
- Reading and math instruction and educational enrichment activities
- Family support, consultation, and brief interventions to cope with stress
- Contingency management of aggressive, disruptive, and noncompliant behavior
The enhanced competence gained through the program leads to the development of positive self-image, independent decision-making, healthy problem-solving, assertive communication, and constructive coping. Once acquired, these attributes and skills collectively enable youths to resist personal and social forces that encourage early substance use and potential abuse and dependency.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this program is to prevent behavior problems and substance abuse.
Results / Accomplishments
High-risk children whose parents received 50 percent or more of recommended FLEX home visiting contact time showed higher rates of improvement on academic achievement, lower rates of attention/concentration problems, and greater rates of improvement in social skills and overall social competence. Compared with high-risk control participants, high-risk program participants made significant improvements in numerous areas, including
- Academic achievement. High-risk children receiving the program showed significant improvement in rate of academic achievement, with this effect primarily accounted for by gains in basic reading skills. This effect held true for boys and girls.
- Self-regulation. Both program and control children showed reductions in self-regulation problems. However, those program children with the highest level of aggressive behavior showed significant reductions in behavioral problems compared with their high-aggressive control counterparts.
- Social competence. High-risk children receiving the program made significant gains in social skills, social adaptability, and leadership following 3 years of intervention.
Parents of children with the highest level of aggressive behavior, who received 50 percent or more of recommended FLEX contact time, reported improved investment in their child and less personal distress.
- Academic achievement. High-risk children receiving the program showed significant improvement in rate of academic achievement, with this effect primarily accounted for by gains in basic reading skills. This effect held true for boys and girls.
- Self-regulation. Both program and control children showed reductions in self-regulation problems. However, those program children with the highest level of aggressive behavior showed significant reductions in behavioral problems compared with their high-aggressive control counterparts.
- Social competence. High-risk children receiving the program made significant gains in social skills, social adaptability, and leadership following 3 years of intervention.
Parents of children with the highest level of aggressive behavior, who received 50 percent or more of recommended FLEX contact time, reported improved investment in their child and less personal distress.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Primary Contact
Gerald J. August, Ph.D.
Department of Family Social Science
290 McNeal Hall | 1985 Buford Avenue | St. Paul, MN, 55108
(612) 273-9711
augus001@umn.edu
https://innovation.umn.edu/early-risers/
Department of Family Social Science
290 McNeal Hall | 1985 Buford Avenue | St. Paul, MN, 55108
(612) 273-9711
augus001@umn.edu
https://innovation.umn.edu/early-risers/
Topics
Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders
Health / Children's Health
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Health / Children's Health
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Organization(s)
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Source
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Model Programs Guide (MPG)
Date of publication
2003
Location
Minneapolis, MN
For more details
Target Audience
Children