| Practitioners are often surprised and incredulous when | | | | The program has been designed for children of |
| they find that proven programs advise an identical | | | | different age groups, offering developmentally suitable |
| approach to the needs of many children. Surely the | | | | content. Usually delivered to groups of six by specially |
| subtle differences between cases call for a unique | | | | trained counselors, therapists or teachers, the core |
| prescription? | | | | messages are conveyed using videos, role-play, |
| They suspect that programs must have been | | | | puppets, and problem solving activities. |
| designed in a tidy theoretical world where children fit | | | | The recent adaptations make it more suitable for |
| into neat categories. But out in the "real world" this | | | | children with ADHD, learning difficulties and autism |
| must be a gross oversimplification. Children often | | | | spectrum disorders. |
| suffer from several disorders at the same time. | | | | "The way the skills are taught, the level of |
| In truth, most program designers know the complexities | | | | sophistication with which they are presented, and the |
| only too well. Writing in the Journal of Children's | | | | time spent on each content area must depend on |
| Services, Carolyn Webster-Stratton, creator of The | | | | each child's behavioral and emotional needs, as well as |
| Incredible Year, points out, for example, that children | | | | his or her developmental level," Reid and |
| referred to mental health clinics with conduct problems | | | | Webster-Stratton say. |
| frequently have other problems, such as attention | | | | For example, for children with ADHD, the intervention |
| deficit disorder, hyperactivity, learning and language | | | | was modified to include livelier activities such as songs, |
| delays and autism spectrum disorders. | | | | role-play and movement. |
| From her and Jamila Reid's studies of children with | | | | The normal routine includes half an hour of 'circle time' |
| conduct problems it emerged that over 40% also | | | | during which the children are expected to pay attention |
| suffered from ADHD. | | | | to the therapist. In the ADHD adaptation this has been |
| They recognized that although all such children could | | | | split to three shorter periods. |
| benefit from some variation of The Incredible Years, it | | | | The new version also has several additions. Children |
| would be delivered more effectively by taking their | | | | are being given more physical space to more around |
| other issues into account. | | | | in where they can let off steam; sessions also end |
| Describing the experience of developing The Incredible | | | | with an additional 20 minutes of coached playtime. |
| Years Dinosaur program, they explain how it was a | | | | However, The Incredible Years team counsel caution |
| question of working out which were the core elements | | | | when adapting proven programs. "Therapists delivering |
| necessary for all children, and which parts could be | | | | the program must be very familiar with the basic |
| tailored to individual's needs, without compromising | | | | content, methods and processes before making |
| program fidelity. | | | | adaptations," they warn. |
| The Dinosaur curriculum is for children already | | | | Looking ahead, they plan to carry out further research |
| experiencing difficulties. It is designed to strengthen | | | | into the effectiveness of Incredible Years with children |
| social, emotional and academic competencies and has | | | | suffering from combinations of disorders, and they |
| been shown in randomized controlled trials to | | | | urge other program developers to do likewise. |
| significantly reduce conduct problems. | | | | |