Description:
Purdue University, in collaboration with Lafayette, Kokomo, and Marion Early Head Start (EHS) programs, will assess the social and emotional development of children enrolled in EHS. The study will work to answer the following questions: (a) Is the quality of EHS child-caregiver relationship associated with the level of child's social competence and behavior problems over time; and (b) How is EHS program service delivery type related to children's level of social competency, behavioral problems, and attachment to the EHS staff person? Participants will include 70 infants and their primary EHS child care providers. Data will be collected from EHS staff and children over a 6 month period. Data will include parent-child home visits and staff-child center or home visits. EHS parents and primary staff will complete questionnaires providing information about age, ethnicity, education level, family income, and current child care arrangements. Staff and parents will independently describe the child's behavior using a 3-point scale, and staff will rate their relationships with the child's parent using a 5-point scale. The Brief Infant Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) will be used to measure child social competence, and the Safe and Secure Scale will be used to assess attachment to primary EHS staff. The researchers expect results from the study will help determine the long-term impact of EHS programs on infant mental health, and in infant/toddler social emotional competence.
Resource Type:
Administration for Children and Families/OPRE Projects
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