About the program

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.

Benefits

  • teaches problem solving skills
  • improves goal setting
  • promotes social skills
  • reduces aggressive behavior
  • teaches organization and study skills
  • promotes family communication
  • reduces substance use
  • improves behavior at school

our team

John Lochman, Ph.D.
program developer
Karen Wells, Ph.D.
program developer
Nicole Powell, Ph.D.
research scientist
Caroline Boxmeyer, Ph.D.
research scientist
Andrea Glenn, Ph.D.
research scientist
Ansley Gilpin, Ph.D.
research scientist
Qshequilla Mitchell, Ph.D.
assistant research scientist
Shane Jones
program manager
Lixin Qu
data analyst
Shanta Burrell
project coordinator
Jennifer Dailey
research assistant
Devon Romero
research assistant