The effectiveness of preschool version of first step to success early intervention program intended fo preventing the problem behaviours

The subject of that the problem behaviors occurring in early period are prevented as immediate as possible with the intervention programs of which the effectiveness have been proven before they become chronic gains importance (Buck and Ambrossino, 2004; Guralnick, 2005; Severson, Walker and Hope-Doolittle, Kratochwill and Gresham, 2002). The increasing day by day of the number of the children who exhibit the problem behaviors in Turkey requires that these behaviors are gotten under control in early period with effective and systematical programs; nevertheless, it is seen that there is not enough study related to this subject in Turkey.In literature; there have been several studies examining the effectiveness of original version of First Step to Success Early Intervention Program ? including kindergarten, first and second grade students ? which is one of the effective and systematical programs in preventing the problem/antisocial behaviors of the children with the risk of exhibiting the antisocial behaviors in early period (Beard and Sugai, 2004; Blalock, 2008; Carter and Horner, 2007; Walker, Severson, Feil, Stiller and Golly, 1998), but there have been limited number of researches about the effectiveness its preschool version which was adapted for 36-72 month children the following years (Diken, Bozkurt, Arıkan, Çolak, Çelik, Cavkaytar and Şenbalkan, 2011). The aim of this study which was carried out from this fact is to examine the effectiveness of Preschool Version of First Step to Success Early Intervention Program (FSS-PV) on 36-76 month Turkish children?s problem/antisocial behaviors and social skills. As depending upon this aim, pretest-posttest experimental design with the control group was used in the research. Besides, the social validity of the research was assessed after the application by collecting the data from the teachers and the parents.The research was carried out in 12 independent preschools which are in provincial center borders, depending on Eskişehir Provincial Directorate for National Education in 2011-2012 academic year. Experimental group consisted of 11 targeted preschool students, 11 teachers, 11 parents and 6 FSS-PV guidance counselors. Control group consisted of 11 preschool students and 11 teachers. Totally 61 people participated in the study.The data related to the students? problem behaviors and social skills was collected with ?Preschool and Kindergarden Behavior Scales?. The data of social validity of the research was collected by teachers? and parents? filling in ?FSS-PV Parent and Teacher Satisfaction Forms? at the end. ?Application Reliability Checklists of the stage of FSS-PV Guidance Counselor, Teacher and Home Applications? were used in order to evaluate application reliability of FSS-PV Program.According to the findings, total problem behavior and social skill points which the experimental and the control groups got from ?Preschool and Kindergarden Behavior Scales? were compared and the experimental group?s total pretest problem behavior points were markedly higher than the posttest and the follow up points; namely it is seen that the FSS-PV Program was effective on the experimental group. At the same time, it is determined that the application also reduced the experimental group?s total internalized problem and externalized problem behavior points remarkably. It is seen that the program didn?t make significantly difference between total pretest-posttest-follow up social skill points of the students who were in the experimental and control groups.According to the social validity findings, most of the teachers and the parents explained that they were satisfied with the program; they soon noticed the differences in the target children?s behaviors in class and home; the program met their needs in class and home; they would suggest the program to other teachers and parents to apply it. Finally, the limitations of the research and the suggestions for the following studies were presented in this research.