The Coping Power Program is a preventative intervention delivered to students in late elementary to middle school. The program uses skills-based training to increase social competence, self-regulation, and positive parental involvement. It has many benefits, including reduced substance use, reduced delinquency, and lower aggression.
Coping Power's major services include structured cognitive-behavioral group sessions for participants in schools and behavioral parent training groups for parents and guardians held at convenient times near participants' neighborhoods.
Coping Power has multiple formats. The original program consists of 34 group sessions and periodic individual sessions for children and 16 group sessions, individual contacts, and periodic home visits for parents. This format runs for 15 to 18 months. An abbreviated form designed to fit in a school year is also available, consisting of 24 child sessions and 10 parent group sessions. Developed as a school-based program, Coping Power has also been adapted for delivery in mental health settings. Other formats are currently under development at The University of Alabama and partnering schools The University of Virginia and Duke University.
Last reviewed: 2023
Intended Outcomes:
- Teaches problem solving skills
- Proves goal setting
- Reduces aggressive behavior
- Teaches organization and study skills
- Promotes family communication
- Reduces substance use
- Improves behavior at school
Continuum of Care:
Selective Prevention, Treatment
Topic Areas:
Behavioral Health/Mental Health, Disruptive Behaviors, Substance Use
Ages:
Childhood (4-12), Teen/Adolescent (13-18)
Geographic Locations:
Rural, Urban
Delivery Settings:
Community-Based, School-Based
Cultural Considerations:
Limited research found involving diverse populations
Audience:
This program is for youth in late elementary school and early middle school, who display aggressive or disruptive behaviors and are at risk for substance use and consequential behavioral problems, and their parents.
Credentials:
Training is for qualified mental health workers such as school counselors, mental health practitioners, school social workers, school psychologists, etc. looking to administer the Coping Power program in their school or district. Potential group leaders with a Master’s degree or higher should also attend. Interventionists must be professionals. The program assumes that the interventionist has expertise in implementing groups with children referred for disruptive behavior.
Manuals:
Yes
Is Training Required?
Yes, see developer info
Who can provide the required training?
Workshops are offered twice per year on the University of Alabama campus. On-site trainings can be arranged for interested agencies and school systems on an individual basis. Ongoing consultation and technical assistance can be arranged as needed. Find upcoming trainings in the Upcoming Trainings page of this site. For more information about training procedures and costs email coping@ua.edu.
Program Costs (materials, training, etc.):
Yes, refer to program website
Program/Practice Website:
https://www.copingpower.com
Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research:
Lochman, J. E., Powell, N. P., Boxmeyer, C. L., Qu., L., Sallee, M., Wells, K. C., & Windle, M. (2015). Counselor-level predictors of sustained use of an indicated preventive intervention for aggressive children. Prevention Science, 16, 1075-1085.
Muratori, P., Bertacchi, I., Giuli, C., Lombardi, L., Bonetti, S., Nocentini, A., Manfredi, A., Polidori, L., Ruglioni, L., Milone, A., & Lochman, J. E. (2015). First adaptation of coping power program as a classroom-based prevention intervention on aggressive behabiors among elementary school children.
Muratori, P., Bertacchi, I., Giuli, C., Nocentini, A., Ruglioni, L., & Lochman, J. E. (2016). Coping power adapted as a universal prevention program: mid term effects on children’s behavioral difficulties and academic grades. Journal of Primary Prevention, 37(1), 389-401.
Additional Sources:
https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/coping-power-program/detailed
WV Rating:
Promising
»WV Ratings Info
Rationale for Rating:
The program has been evaluated by randomized-controlled trials (e.g., Muratori et al., 2015, 2016) across different schools (e.g., 1st-5th grades; Lochman et al., 2015; Muratori et al., 2015, 2016). Combined research suggests significant reductions in behavioral problems and improvement in grades. While benefits were observed, recognized studies were not without limitations. First, a majority of collected literature, as well as those listed on the program’s website were completed by a smaller subset of authors. While not necessarily a significant limitation, as studies appeared well-designed, it does suggest the need for additional study across novel locations and researchers. Additionally, literature collected was comprised of predominantly Caucasian and elementary individuals, suggesting the need for additional demographic inclusion (e.g., broader ages/grades, evaluation of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, etc.) in future work.
Contraindications or Concerns:
None identified
Other Registries/Ratings
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare:
Well-Supported by Research Evidence
Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development:
Promising
Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness:
Promising
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Model Programs Guide:
Not On Registry
Washington State Institute for Public Policy:
Not On Registry