Essay: The Incredible Years Programs

The Incredible Years programs are multi-adaptive curriculum/training programs that are utilized by thousands of parents, teachers, and children across the world.  Whether or not a child has a diagnosable disorder, is not a set requirement for program qualification. However, this being said, the program was designed for a target audience with some common focal points.  The Incredible Years programs mainly target children that have been diagnosed with disorders such as: ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), and CD (Conduct Disorder) (Webster-Stratton, 2013).  Also included within the target population are socioeconomically disadvantaged families, immigrant families, families referred by CPS (Child Protective Services), and children who display socio-emotional problems (Webster-Stratton, 2013).  Because the Incredible Years programs have such a diverse target audience, primary delivery settings for the program also vary.  Delivery settings for the programs are almost always community-based, but sometimes they can be a little bit more exclusive.  Some examples of primary delivery locations for the programs include: hospitals, mental health agencies, prisons, shelters, homes, religious organizations, primary care facilities, elementary schools, YMCAs, and most importantly Head Start preschools (Webster-Stratton, 2013). Considering that the programs are focused on overcoming and preventing behavioral, conduct, academic, and social problems/issues within children, the target populations directly correlate with program goals.  If conduct, social, and academic problems are prevented and treated early on they can forestall the onset of: advanced conduct disorders, substance abuse, violence, intellectual underachievement, and future delinquency (Webster-Stratton, 2013).  This is especially true for children and parents who come from disadvantaged and high risk backgrounds with minimal resources (Webster-Stratton, 2013).  As a community-based resource the Incredible Years programs work as a lifeline for families that do not have the economically means to receive the aid they need.