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Background This study examined the long-term efficacy of the Incredible Years (IY) BASIC Parenting Programme delivered as a preventive intervention with parents of pre-school children who display signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct problems. Families were followed up after the completion of a controlled trial with 11 Sure Start areas in North and Mid-Wales and North West England. Methods Participants in the study were 50 pre-school children whose parents had received the intervention. Child ADHD symptoms were assessed at baseline, at follow-up one (6 months after baseline); at follow-up two (12 months after baseline); and at follow-up three (18 months after baseline). Families in the original waiting-list control group were not assessed after follow-up one as they had subsequently received the same intervention. Results The significant post-intervention improvements in child ADHD symptoms evident at follow-up one were maintained over time, as demonstrated by statistical and clinical stability of measures. No significant differences were found for ADHD symptoms across each follow-up, indicating that the gains made post intervention were maintained for at least 12 months, with 57% of the sample maintaining scores below the clinical cut-off on the Conners. Eighty-six, 58, and 30 per cent respectively had maintained at least a modest, large, or very large improvement in ADHD symptoms at follow-up three. Conclusions Findings from this study suggest that the IY psychosocial treatment programme is a valuable intervention in the longer term for many pre-school children displaying early signs of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The efficacy of the Incredible Years (IY) Basic parent training (PT) programme for a community-based sample of families with pre-school children at risk of developing both conduct problems and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was examined. Methods Pre-school children displaying signs of both early-onset conduct problems and ADHD were randomly allocated to either IY PT intervention, or to a waiting list (WL) control group. Child symptoms were assessed before and after the intervention. Results Post intervention, the intervention group was associated with significantly lower levels of parent-reported inattention and hyperactive/impulsive difficulties, even after controlling for post-intervention changes in child deviance. In addition, 52% of those in the intervention condition, compared with 21% in the control condition, displayed clinically reliable improvements post intervention, giving an absolute risk reduction of 31% and a number needed to treat of 3.23. Conclusions Findings from this study indicate that the IY PT programme is a valuable intervention for many pre-school children displaying early signs of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]