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The Earlier the Better? Individual Participant Data and Traditional Meta-analysis of Age Effects of Parenting Interventions

Gardner, Frances, Leijten, Patty, Melendez-Torres, G.J., Landau, Sabine, Harris, Victoria, Mann, Joanna, Beecham, Jennifer, Hutchings, Judy, Scott, Stephen (2018) The Earlier the Better? Individual Participant Data and Traditional Meta-analysis of Age Effects of Parenting Interventions. Child Development, 90 (1). pp. 7-19. ISSN 0009-3920. E-ISSN 1467-8624. (doi:10.1111/cdev.13138) (KAR id:69228)

Abstract

Strong arguments have been made for early intervention for child problems, stating that early is more effective than later, as the brain is more malleable, and costs are lower. However, there is scant evidence from trials to support this hypothesis, which we therefore tested in two well?powered, state?of?the?art meta?analyses with complementary strengths: (a) Individual participant data (IPD) meta?analysis of European trials of Incredible Years parenting intervention (k = 13, n = 1696; age = 2–11); (b) Larger, trial?level robust variance estimation meta?analysis of a wider range of parenting programs (k = 156, n = 13,378, Mage = 2–10) for reducing disruptive behavior. Both analyses found no evidence that intervention earlier in childhood was more effective; programs targeted at a narrower age range were no more effective than general ones.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/cdev.13138
Uncontrolled keywords: parenting program, age effects, child disruptive behavior, IPD meta-analysis
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Personal Social Services Research Unit
Depositing User: Jennifer Beecham
Date Deposited: 24 Sep 2018 09:28 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 05:10 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/69228 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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