Parenting programmes for helping children with behavioural problems are just as effective in primary school age children as in pre-school children, Oxford University research suggests.
The study challenges the view that, for the best results, help should be given early in life, when children's brain function and behaviour are thought to be more easily manipulated.
The research says it's time to stop focusing on when to intervene with parenting skills, and step in to help children in need of all ages.
The Oxford researchers analysed data from 15,074 families from all over the world who had taken part in parenting schemes aimed at addressing their children's disruptive behaviour.
In both sets of data, behaviour problems were measured using standard parent report questionnaires.
- The children ranged in age from two to 11 years
- 60% of the families had low income
- 30% were from ethnic minorities
- Most reported the intervention programme had reduced child conduct problems
After analysing the findings, the study concludes that older children benefited just as much as younger ones from parenting interventions for reducing behaviour problems and there was no evidence for the "common belief that earlier interventions are more powerful".
It also says that schemes aimed at a narrower age range were no more effective than those aimed at a more general age range.
