Effects of Child Skills Training in Preventing Antisocial Behavior : a systematic review of randomized evaluations
By: LOSEL, Friedrich; BEELMANN, Andreas
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ArticlePublisher: Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications, May 2003Subject(s): Prevention; Antisocial Behavior; Social Skills Training; Evaluation; Meta-Analysis; Childhood and AdolescenceThe Annals of The American Academy of Political and Social Science 587, p. 84-109Abstract: This article reports a meta-analysis on social skills training as a measure for preventing antisocial behavior in children and youth. From 851 documents, 84 reports containing 135 comparisons between treated and untreated youngsters (N=16,723) fulfilled stepwise eligicility criteria (e.g., randomized control-group design, focus on prevention). Despite a wide range of positive and negatice effect sizes, the majority confirmed the benefits of treatment. The best estimated mean effects were d=.38 (postintervention) and .28 (follow-up). Effects were smaller on antisocial behavior than on related social and cognitive measures. Studies with large smaples produced lower effect sizes than those with smaller samples. Programs targeting at-risk groups had better effects than universal programs. Modes of treatment did not differ significantly; however, cognitivebehavioral programs had the strongest impact on antisocial behavior. more well-controlled studies with large samples, hard outcome criteria, and long follow-up periods are needed, particularly outside the United States
This article reports a meta-analysis on social skills training as a measure for preventing antisocial behavior in children and youth. From 851 documents, 84 reports containing 135 comparisons between treated and untreated youngsters (N=16,723) fulfilled stepwise eligicility criteria (e.g., randomized control-group design, focus on prevention). Despite a wide range of positive and negatice effect sizes, the majority confirmed the benefits of treatment. The best estimated mean effects were d=.38 (postintervention) and .28 (follow-up). Effects were smaller on antisocial behavior than on related social and cognitive measures. Studies with large smaples produced lower effect sizes than those with smaller samples. Programs targeting at-risk groups had better effects than universal programs. Modes of treatment did not differ significantly; however, cognitivebehavioral programs had the strongest impact on antisocial behavior. more well-controlled studies with large samples, hard outcome criteria, and long follow-up periods are needed, particularly outside the United States
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