Coping Power for adolescents with Disruptive Behaviour Disorder
Pietro Muratori, Carlotta Bertini, Annarita Milone, Giulia Mori, John Lochman
Prevention and intervention at a young age are preferable; however, studies indicate that approximately
half of all serious teen behavioural problems are first treated in adolescence. Evidence suggests that
interventions, which improve parenting skills, are associated with reductions in problem behavioural
problems. However, programmes for behaviour problems in adolescents are generally less effective
than those for younger patients. This study describes the effectiveness evaluation of Coping Power
adapted for adolescents with Disruptive Behaviour Disorder diagnosis. The sample included 55 Italian
adolescents: 28 treated with Coping Power; 27 with a multi-component intervention based on cognitive
behavioural principles and practices. The results show that Coping Power is more effective than other
treatment models in reducing adolescents’ aggressive behaviours. These results support the importance
of disseminating manualised and evidence-based intervention programmes in mental health services.
Keywords
Adolescence, Aggression, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy.
