Effectiveness of a social problem-solving program in preschool children with developmental deficits

The study examines the implementation and efficacy of a social problem-solving program for preschool children with cognitive and social developmental deficits. Thirty-two children (16 in the training group and 16 controls) completed a social problem-solving task and were rated by their preschool teacher before (pretest), one month after (posttest), and four months after (follow up) the intervention. Program implementation was assessed by trainer ratings of the children's behavior during the training sessions. Results indicated that the implementation was adequate; because the children nearly always exhibited on-task behavior. Substantial program effects on social problem-solving measures as well as on internalizing and externalizing problem scores could be observed in both the posttest and the follow up. Because these effects correspond with findings from international evaluations of social problem-solving programs, it is concluded that such interventions are a useful tool in the field of selective prevention.