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 the 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 - PhD 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 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 KS1 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 participants 9 schools in Gwynedd Phase 2 Baseline, follow-up 1 Target 161 ( ) 150 – so far 13 schools across Gwynedd, Powys, and 1 school Holyhead

The sample – group allocation High – risk children identified by teachers in KS1 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