Effectiveness of individually delivered indicated school-based interventions on externalizing behavior

In the present study the results of two meta-analyses on the effectiveness of individually delivered indicated school-based interventions for externalizing behavior problems at elementary schools are presented. A distinction was made between studies that evaluated effects of interventions with only an individual component ( k = 11 studies, n = 738 children, d = .30), and studies on interventions that included both individual and additional components ( k = 13 studies, n = 1156 children, d = .30). Both types of individually delivered school-based interventions reduced externalizing behavior in at-risk children. Moderator analyses showed individual interventions with additional components to be most beneficial for younger children. The variability in effectiveness of interventions indicates that schools need to carefully select evidence-based programs for their specific population.