Topic: Alcohol/Drugs/Tobacco, Antisocial Behavior, Parenting, Emotional Competency
Target Population: Adolescents, Middle Childhood, Parents
Sector: Community-Based, School-Based
This program is for youth in late elementary school and early middle school, who display aggressive or disruptive behaviors and are at risk for substance use and consequential behavioral problems, and their parents.
Coping Power, a school- or community-based targeted prevention program, is designed to prevent substance use and subsequent delinquency in youth by enhancing their social skills, improving their self-control, strengthening their connections within school, and encouraging positive parental engagement.
Several randomized controlled trials by program developers have been conducted, and results have demonstrated significant effects on delinquency, substance use, and school behaviors in aggressive boys at a 1-year follow-up when compared to the control group. Significant improvements on externalizing behaviors have been demonstrated in boys and girls. An evaluation of an abbreviated version of the program (i.e., 24 youth sessions, 10 parent sessions) has demonstrated reductions in teacher-rated child externalizing problem behaviors, proactive and reactive aggression, impulsivity traits, and callous-unemotional traits at a 3-year follow-up. The program has also been adapted for youth who meet criteria for Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Conduct Disorder (CD). One evaluation of this clinical version of the program demonstrated significant reductions in callous-unemotional traits, but not externalizing behaviors, in the intervention group compared to a control group at a 6-year follow-up.
Coping Power was developed as a school-based program but has been modified for community-based, mental health settings. Sessions are delivered by group leaders and intend to teach participants the following:
Coping Power has been adapted for use as a universal program in classrooms to help prevent behavioral problems in all children in the class, regardless of their risk condition. This adapted version of the program is titled the “Coping Power Universal” program.
Coping Power was created in the early 1990s and has been used in the United States, Italy, and the Netherlands. In addition, it is used in residential schools for deaf students.
This program is facilitated by qualified mental health workers who have experience with leading groups of children who have been referred for disruptive behavior (e.g., school counselors, mental health practitioners, school social workers, school psychologists). Training is required, and there are three levels of certification. Workshops include 2- and 3-day in-person (off-site or on-site) or online sessions. Follow-up training is recommended and includes bi-weekly consultation phone calls and submission of video-recorded sessions. Please visit http://www.copingpower.com/trainings_certifications.html for more information.
Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring youth, parent, and administrative buy-in; recruiting suitable facilitators and making arrangements for them to receive training; finding time to implement sessions in an existing school curriculum, if the school setting is used; ensuring sessions are delivered with fidelity; identifying a convenient location and time for parent sessions; and providing child care during parent sessions.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing Coping Power, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Coping Power is implemented over 15 to 18 months and consists of 34 group sessions (with occasional individual sessions) for youth and 16 group sessions (with occasional individual contacts and home visits) for parents. A shorter version of the program is available, and this abbreviated version of the program is implemented over 1 school year and consists of 24 youth sessions and 10 parent sessions. The clinical version of the program for youth who are diagnosed with ODD or CD consists of 24 youth sessions and 16 parent sessions.
The program intervention kit costs $199.95. Please visit http://www.copingpower.com/products.html for cost information on additional program materials.
To move Coping Power to the Effective category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence at least one external evaluation must be conducted that demonstrates sustained, positive outcomes. This study must be conducted independently of the program developer.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact the Coping Power Program by mail Box 870348, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, phone 1-205-348-3535, email coping@ua.edu, or visit http://www.copingpower.com/contact.html
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