Reduction and prevention of aggression and behavioural problems in disadvantaged pre-school children: implementation and effectiveness of the Incredible Years Programme, Luton, UK

The Incredible Years pre-school course is designed for families living in disadvantaged areas with children aged 3-5 years who are showing early onset behaviour problems. The programme consists of 14 weekly sessions of 2.5 hours duration with childcare provided. Incredible Years facilitators work with parents to improve emotional and social functioning and address, reduce and prevent aggression and behavioural problems. The course uses video clips depicting everyday scenarios to encourage group discussion, problem solving and sharing of ideas and experiences. Parents receive manuals and group materials throughout the course in addition to home assignments. Programme fidelity is maintained with a standardized training process involving peer review, videotape feedback and consultation. The study design is a process and outcome evaluation using a mixed method approach. The process evaluation aims to understand how and why the intervention was adopted, drivers and barriers to implementation and the role of context. With respect to Incredible Years, this will involve semi-structured interviews with families, staff and stakeholders throughout the delivery of Incredible Years. ISRCTN14311503