Fostering positive teacher-child dynamics with a video-feedback intervention. VIPP-School's effects on early elementary school teacher’s sensitivity and sensitive limit setting in the Netherlands.

Child behavioral issues in classrooms are a significant challenge for teachers, often leading to negative teacher-child interactions and less positive relationships (e.g. Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Henricsson & Rydell, 2004; McGrath & Van Bergen, 2015; O’Connor, 2011; Spilt & Koomen, 2009). Without proper intervention, these early behavioral problems may evolve into serious long-term issues (Kendziora, 2004). However, breaking negative interaction cycles and fostering positive teacher-child relationships can support positive development in children.
The Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) may be valuable in addressing negative interaction patterns by fostering positive and sensitive teacher-child interactions. Originally designed for families, VIPP-SD’s effectiveness in enhancing caregiver’s sensitivity and limit-setting has been demonstrated across multiple randomized controlled trials, which in turn can lead to a decrease in difficult child behavior (Juffer et al., 2009; Juffer et al., 2017; O'Farrelly et al., 2021; Van IJzendoorn et al., 2022; Van Zeijl et al., 2006). Adaptations of VIPP-SD for professional caregivers in childcare settings have also been successful (Groeneveld et al., 2011; Werner et al., 2018).
We adapted VIPP-SD for teachers in early elementary education (VIPP-School) and found it to be feasible and acceptable (Starreveld et al., 2024). The goal of VIPP-School is to support teachers in the interaction with children exhibiting behavioral problems in five 1.5-hr sessions, using principles of attachment and social learning theories. The intervention focuses on enhancing teacher sensitivity and limit setting through video-feedback in an early elementary school setting.
Our randomized controlled trial involved 58 teacher-child dyads from Kindergarten, First Grade and second Grade in the Netherlands. Teachers were predominantly female (95%) with on average 12 years of teaching experience. Most children were boys (66%) with an average age of 6.5 years. Teacher-child dyads were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or to the control group who received a dummy-intervention.
Here we focus on the intervention effects on teacher sensitivity and sensitive limit-setting. Teacher dyadic sensitivity was observed during a computerized version of a structured cooperative drawing task (Etch-A-Sketch) and sensitive limit-setting was observed during a “Do-Don’t task”. Teacher-child dyads participated in a pre- and posttest and teacher dyadic sensitivity and sensitive limit setting were coded using an adapted version of the revised Erickson 7-point scales for supportive presence (Egeland, 1990).
Repeated measures ANOVA results indicate a significant intervention effect on sensitivity. Teachers in the intervention group improved in sensitivity over time; teachers in the control group remained stable. While a similar trend was observed for sensitive limit setting, this effect was not statistically significant.
This study shows that the brief VIPP-School video-feedback intervention enhances teacher dyadic sensitivity, highlighting its potential for fostering positive teacher-child interactions. More detailed findings will be presented at the upcoming conference.