First, as in other areas of prevention, one lesson offered by the emerging literature showing that risk for the internalizing pathway emerges early in life is simply that earlier prevention efforts are needed (Ialongo et al., 2006). To date, no prevention programs have been developed and empirically evaluated to determine whether interventions in the preschool-period can effectively mitigate COAs’ risk. In addition to being a period when COAs are first evidencing risk for negative outcomes, the preschool years are an ideal developmental period for intervention because (a) such risk behaviors as aggression may become reinforced and more difficult to change if not addressed prior to school entry when the systemic repercussions of such behaviors may also impact children and (b) the rapid developmental changes that accompany this period offer families multiple opportunities to adapt to the child’s needs and reorganize how they function as a unit.
