Blueprints
Promising Programs
Program
Overview:
FAST Track is a comprehensive and
long-term prevention program that aims to prevent
chronic and severe conduct problems for high-risk
children. It is based on the view that antisocial
behavior stems from the interaction of multiple influences,
and it includes the school, the home, and the individual
in its intervention. FAST Track’s main goals
are to increase communication and bonds between these
three domains, enhance children’s social, cognitive,
and problem-solving skills, improve peer relationships,
and ultimately decrease disruptive behavior in the
home and school.
Program Targets:
FAST Track is an intervention that can be implemented
in rural and urban areas for boys and girls of varying
ethnicity, social class, and family composition (i.e.,
the primary intervention is designed for all youth
in a school setting). It specifically targets children
identified in kindergarten for disruptive behavior
and poor peer relations.
Program Content:
The Program spans grades 1 through 6, but is most
intense during the key periods of entry to school
(first grade) and transition from grade school to
middle school. It is multidimensional, including the
following components:
- Parent Training occurs in first grade and emphasizes
fostering children’s academic performance,
communicating with the school, controlling anger,
and using effective discipline.
- Home Visitations occur biweekly to reinforce
parenting skills, promote parents’ feelings
of efficacy and empowerment, and foster parent’s
problem-solving skills.
- Social Skills Training enhances children’s
social-cognitive and problem-solving skills, peer
relations, anger control, and friendship maintenance.
- Academic Tutoring is offered three times per
week to improve children’s reading skills.
- Classroom Intervention utilizes the PATHS curriculum,
a program designed to be used in grades 1-5 to help
children develop emotional awareness skills, self-control
and problem-solving skills, foster a positive peer
climate, incorporate home activities to allow parents’
participation, and improve teachers’ classroom
management skills.
Program Outcomes:
Currently, an evaluation of 3 cohorts who have completed
first grade has been performed, and follow-up studies
are underway. Compared to control groups, participants
have shown the following positive effects:
- Better teacher and parent ratings of children’s
behavior with peers and adults.
- Better overall ratings by observers on children’s
aggressive, disruptive, and oppositional behavior
in the classroom.
- Less parental endorsement of physical punishment
for children’s problem behaviors.
- More appropriate discipline techniques and greater
warmth and involvement of mothers with their children.
- More maternal involvement in school activities.
- Children in FAST Track classrooms nominated fewer
peers as being aggressive and indicated greater
liking and fewer disliking nominations of their
classmates.
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