Coping Power Universal for middle school students: The first efficacy study

Introduction The present study examined the efficacy of the universal prevention version of the Coping Power Program in reducing behavioral and emotional problems and in promoting prosocial behaviors in middle-school classrooms. Methods The study used a randomized control study design; and the sample included 839 middle-school Italian youths (411 males), attending 40 middle-school classrooms. The students were in seventh or eighth grade, and they had an average age of 13.24 years (SD = .65; range 12–14 years). Ninety students were Africans, the rest were Caucasian. Teachers and parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, before and after intervention. We used the 24-session universal prevention adaptation of Coping Power, which aims to improve children's emotional regulation and social problem-solving skills. Results Linear mixed models and effect sizes indicated that behaviors improved as a result of the Coping Power intervention. Specifically, the program was effective in reducing internalizing problems and increasing prosocial behaviors. Conclusions The Coping Power Universal effectively adapts an existing evidence-based program, and is believed to be a useful strategy also to improve social emotional skills in middle-school students.