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Prekindergarten intervention improves issues, learning in under-privileged kids
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ParentCorps, a family-centered, school-based behavioral and academic intervention program for preschoolers, reduced the risk for mental health problems and improved academic performance in low-income minority children, according to recently published findings.
“Substantial evidence indicates that nurturing relationships and predictable interactions with parents and other caregivers can buffer the effect of poverty-related stressors and adverse childhood experiences,” Laurie Miller Brotman, PhD, from the department of population health, Center for Early Childhood Health and Development at New York University Langone Medical Center, and colleagues wrote. “Experimental prevention trials provide evidence in support of the causal role of parenting for a broad range of child outcomes.”
Brotman and colleagues sought to determine whether ParentCorps enhanced kindergarten academic performance and lowered mental health issues. They reported results from the second trial from performance and self-regulation at baseline to second grade.
Researchers conducted the clustered, randomized clinical trial in 10 matched schools of two disadvantaged school districts in New York City and included 792 children enrolled between 2006 and 2008. Some 421 families identified as non-Hispanic black, 78 as Hispanic and 34 as other races or ethnicities. Researchers randomly assigned the children into intervention and control groups, and annual teacher ratings and standardized tests served as analysis of mental health and performance at baseline through second grade.
Of the 792 students in the second clinical trial follow-up study, 78 were unavailable for follow-up; however, 485 remained in study schools and maintained data through second grade (intervention group n = 254; control group n = 234).
Students in ParentCorps-enhanced prekindergarten programs maintained lower levels of mental health problems (Cohen d = 0.04; 95% CI, 0.08-0.81) and higher academic performance rated by their teachers (Cohen d = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.02-0.39) in second grade from baseline. In addition, all three academic outcomes — performance, reading and math — correlated strongly with higher scores in the intervention groups in terms of full vs partial dose (Cohen d = 0.26 vs. 0.17; Cohen d = 0.46 vs. 0.24; Cohen d = 0.18 vs. 0.06).
“Of importance, because ParentCorps was delivered as an enhancement to pre-K, effects are over and above the benefits of pre-K (estimated to be one-third standard deviation if high quality),” the researchers wrote. “Finally, the intervention effect can be compared with well-established gaps in outcomes for low-income minority children.
“For example, the effect of ParentCorps on academic performance is approximately half that of the black–white achievement gap.” – by Kate Sherrer
Disclosure: This study was funded by grant R305F050245 from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences. Brotman received grant 1R01MH077331-01 from the NIMH. All other researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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