Blueprints
Promising Programs Fact Sheets
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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