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Tuesday, November 3, 2009: 3:05 PM
Learning Objective 1: identify child and family outcomes of an early childhood intervention program.
Learning Objective 2: identify aspects of parental engagement in services that predict child and family outcomes over time.
Early childhood is a critical time for development and parents play an important role. Children in low-income families are particularly at risk. This study examined impacts of an Infant Mental Health-based (IMH) Early Head Start (EHS) program and the role of program participation on family functioning and child outcomes from birth to seven years. Children and families were assessed when the children were 14, 24, and 36 months of age, prior to entry into kindergarten (TPK), and after first grade (PFG). Families (n=152) were randomly assigned to intervention or comparison group. At time of enrollment, parents, mostly mothers, were an average 23 (SD = 5) years of age, a majority were Caucasian (75%), and 45 percent had not completed high school. Using Repeated Measures ANOVA, EHS parents (n=77) demonstrated healthier family functioning and psychological empowerment across time and greater feelings of mastery by PFG than comparison families (n=75). EHS children were more engaged with parents in play across time. Comparison group children fared better on first grade letter-word recognition. Using hierarchical regression, the number of EHS home visits missed predicted parent-child dysfunctional interaction and children's aggression at early ages; and, negatively predicted healthy family functioning at PFG. More home visiting was associated with better parent-child relationships at TPK and at PFG and with less parental distress at TPK. The EHS program outcomes are consistent with the IMH focus and identify engagement in the program as an important consideration. These findings from the early years of an EHS program provide important information on the ways in which IMH-based services may influence familial and parental mental health and well-being that carry through into the early school years. Nurses who are home visitors can apply this information to their practice with vulnerable families.