Interpersonal Problem Solving and Prevention in Urban School Children

Recognizing that enhancing the interpersonal problem solving skills of children as young as age four can reduce or prevent high-risk behaviors later on, researchers designed a competence-building model of primary prevention. The two criteria tested were: (1) the theory of interpersonal cognitive problem solving (ICPS) skills as mediators of social adjustment and psychological functioning in inner-city fifth and sixth graders; and (2) the impact of a full-scaled four month ICPS intervention on behavioral adjustment and psychological functioning in school. By comparing ICPS-trained subjects (interpersonal cognition) with a group trained in Critical Thinking (impersonal cognition), investigators examined cognitive and behavioral impact after one exposure in grade 5, and after two exposures in grades 5 and 6. Results suggest that for this age and socio-economic status (SES) group, one exposure to ICPS training enhances ICPS and prosocial behaviors, but it requires a second exposure to reduce negative, impulsive, and inhibited behaviors. With no such interpersonal or behavior gains in the Critical Thinking (CT) groups for either year (CT groups actually became more impulsive from grade 5 to grade 6) it appears that ICPS training is a viable model of prevention for this age and SES group. Full behavioral impact for latency-aged, low SES youngsters may take longer than the briefer one-time exposure required for youngsters in preschool and kindergarten. (RJM)