Researching The Incredible Years Therapeutic Dinosaur School Programme

Researching The Incredible Years Therapeutic Dinosaur School Programme Funded by the Big Lottery

Content • Eleanor Lane Overview of the project • Laura Parry The development of a valid and reliable observational tool to assess peer interactions in schools.

The study A three-year Randomised Controlled trial (RCT) To evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic(small group) dina programme delivered in school to high-risk children in key stage one (4 to 7 years) Participating Primary schools in Gwynedd, Powys and Holyhead.

Research Team • Judy Hutchings – Research Director • Tracey Bywater – Principal Investigators • Mihela Erjavec (past and present) • Eleanor Lane - Research Officer • Laura Parry - Ph. D Student • • Ceri Evans } Margiad Williams} - Research Project Support Officers Karen Jones} Stephanie Watts} • Nia Williams - Seconded Teacher • Gwen Owen - Admin

The IY Therapeutic Small Group Dina School Programme • A treatment programme • Delivered in 2 -hour weekly small group sessions • 6 children/group • 18 -20 weeks

Aims of the programme • To strengthen social and emotional competencies and problem solving skills. • In order to reduce behaviour problems and help the child achieve desired academic outcomes and school success.

Incredible Years Programmes

Rationale for the Study • The Dinosaur School curriculum was developed by Carolyn Webster-Stratton as both a therapeutic and a universal classroom programme • Many KS 1 children in Gwynedd Powys and Holyhead attend schools that already deliver the Classroom Dina and their teachers are trained in TCM • High risk children may need a more targeted intervention in addition to universal school programmes.

Research phases • • • Phase 1 Baseline, follow-up 1, follow-up 2 Target 120 79 participants 9 schools in Gwynedd • • • Phase 2 Baseline, follow-up 1 Target 161 (120 + 41) 150 – so far 13 schools across Gwynedd, Powys, and 1 school Holyhead

The sample – group allocation High – risk children identified by teachers in KS 1 by completing an SDQ (Strengths and difficulties questionnaires) for each child. 12 children in each school randomly allocated to intervention or control Baseline Programme - 6 intervention children Follow-up 1 Programme – 6 control children

Data collection • Parents • Teachers • Child

Parent-report measures • Demographic Questionnaire • The Parenting Scale (Arnold, O’Leary, Wolff & Acker, 1993) • Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock, & Erbaugh, 1961) • Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (Tennant et al. , 2007) • Parent Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997) • The Bangor Dinosaur School Questionnaire (Hutchings, 2004) • Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (Eyberg & Ross, 1978; Eyberg, 1980)

Teacher-report measures • Teacher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997) • Academic attainment • Teacher Stress Inventory (Boyle, Borg, Falzon, & Bagiloni, 1995) • Teacher Demographics Questionnaire

Child measures • Wally Problem Solving Task (Webster-Stratton & Reid, 2001) • School Observations: o Classroom observation based on the TPOT (Teacher-pupil observation tool) o Observation of peer interaction

Importance of observation • The advantages of collecting data from different sources • The advantages of observation • Classroom observation and peer interaction

Peer Observation • The Lego Task • Dina School – Making friends and learning school rules – Understanding and detecting feelings – Problem solving – Anger management – How to be friendly – How to talk with friends – How to do your best in school • Change in behaviour relating to peers – Increase in positive behaviour – Decrease in negative behaviour • Valid and Reliable

Diolch Thank you