PAINT stands for Psychosocial ADHD and disruptive behaviour INTerventions and is the overarching name for the studies conducted by the PAINT consortium since 2017. The goal of the PAINT consortium is to improve care for children with behavioural problems (including ADHD).
We collaborate as a consortium with practical institutions, collaborative educational partnerships, the parent association Balans, research institutions, and knowledge networks. There are various projects within PAINT. For an overview, click here. At the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, we mainly focus on the projects PAINT-OKT, PAINT-self-help, and PAINT-T.
PAINT-OKT
In the PAINT-OKT project we focus on the implementation of a brief behavioral parent training within “Parent and Child Teams” (in Dutch: Ouder- en Kindteams; OKT). These are easily accessible teams in Amsterdam that aim to help parents.
Sometimes it can be difficult to use an evidence-based intervention in clinical practice. This is due to contextual factors such as time restraints. That’s why – in the PAINT-OKT project – we wanted to focus on the implementation of a brief parent training into everyday practice. We trained professionals working at the OKT to offer the training to parents of children with behavioral difficulties. Within this project, we are working together with the professionals to improve the implementation of the training in their teams, and thus help as many families as possible.
Main PAINT-OKT researcher at the VU: Emmy van Boven.
PAINT-self-help
In the self-help project we also aim to help families of children with behavioral difficulties while dealing with contextual factors which might make it difficult for families to access the care they need. In this project, parents independently go through a self-help program with the use of a workbook and an online environment.
We focused on both the effectiveness and the implementation of the self-help program. We found that parents who did the program improved their parenting skills. Also, their children showed less behavioral difficulties than before the program. The implementation was investigated in a pilot study. Based on the results, we altered the program and we are now looking for new opportunities for implementation.
Main PAINT-self-help researcher at the VU: Suzanne de Jong-Arts.
PAINT-T
In the previously described projects we focused on parents, whereas in PAINT-T we focus on teachers. For children with ADHD or behavioural difficulties, the school environment can be a challenge because the expected behaviour often conflicts with the symptoms that are characteristic of, for example, ADHD. In order to support teachers and children, PAINT-T was created: a brief teacher training based on behavioural therapeutic techniques. A brief teacher training in which teachers were trained in either one set of therapeutic techniques was effective in reducing behavioural difficulties of the child. Together with Accare Child Study Centre, we are now studying whether the brief teacher training containing both sets of techniques is also, and whether it is effective when provided by school mental health professionals (in Dutch: samenwerkingsverbanden) and the mental health care institutions (in Dutch: GGZ instellingen). We are also conducting a meta-analysis into the effectiveness of such teacher-mediated interventions on child and teacher behavior.
Main PAINT-T researcher at the VU: Dr. Anouck Staff.
Prof. dr. Marjolein Luman is involved in all three projects.
VU TEAM MEMBERS
- Prof. dr. Marjolein Luman, Full Professor
- Suzanne de Jong-Arts, Postdoctoral Researcher
- Dr. Anouck Staff, Postdoctoral Researcher
- Emmy van Boven, PhD Student
