This study evaluated the long-term effects of Project SUPPORT, an intervention designed to reduce conduct problems among children in domestically violent families.
Participating mothers had sought shelter because of domestic violence and had at least one child (4-9 years old) exhibiting clinical levels of conduct problems. Results indicated that at 2 years posttreatment, 15 percent of children in families in the Project SUPPORT condition exhibited clinical levels of conduct problems, compared with 53 percent of those in the existing services condition. In addition, mothers of children in the Project SUPPORT condition reported their children to be happier, to have better social relationships, and to have lower levels of internalizing problems, compared to children in the comparison condition. Mothers in the Project SUPPORT condition were less likely to use aggressive child management strategies and were less likely to have returned to their partners during the follow-up period. (publisher abstract modified)