The Effectiveness of Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT) Program in Preventing Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Social Problems

Oppositional defiant disorder is a common and disabling disorder in children, causing many problems for teachers, parents and children, and is associated with high rates of difficulties in social relationships; it may result in conduct disorder in adolescents and adults. The goal of this research was to study the effectiveness of Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT) Program (Eddy, Reid & Fetrow, 2000) in preventing oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and social problems. This was a quasi-experimental study with pretest posttest design. The statistical population of the study comprised all primary school boys with ODD symptoms in district 18 of Tehran. The sample was drawn using purposive sampling method and the subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental (N= 15) and control groups (N = 15). The instruments included Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Teacher Report Form (TRF), Social Problems subscale from Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001), and clinical interviews based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The collected data were analyzed by using covariance. Results indicated that LIFT program had a significant effect on oppositional defiant disorder symptoms from parents’ and teachers’ viewpoint. In addition, LIFT program had a significant impact on social problems based on parents’ and teachers’ point of view.