The primary aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of INSIGHTS, a temperament-based, comprehensive selective preventive intervention for inner city minority school-age children. The study will contrast over time the behavior, competence and perceptions of 126 first and second grade children who have participated in INSIGHTS with those in active control group receiving an after-school reading program only. The impact on the distress levels of children's parents and teachers will also be examined as will their behavioral reactions. INSIGHTS is comprised of three integrated programs: a parenting program, a parallel one for teachers, and a drama therapy program for the targeted children. The parenting and teacher programs include didactic content, videotaped vignettes, role-playing, discussion, and assignments. Puppets and other drama therapy techniques will relay related concepts to the targeted children and their classmates in the classroom. The effectiveness of INSIGHTS will be tested in a clinical trial conducted in three stages: baseline, program, and follow-up. During the baseline stage, data regarding the children's temperament, behavior and perceptions, parental styles, caretaker stressors, and the child's interactions with his/her mother and teacher will be collected. The program stage last ten weeks, after which all subjects will be retested. During the follow-up stage, booster sessions will be offered to participants of INSIGHTS. Testing including as assessment of parental consumer satisfaction is repeated six months and one years after the program stage to ascertain the long term effects of the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of variance will be used predominantly to test the effectiveness of INSIGHTS over time. In addition, correlational techniques will be used to explore the transactional nature of Child temperament and behavior with parent and teacher interactions.
