Examining the effects of an infant-toddler school readiness intervention in center- and family-based programs: Are results generalizable?

TY - JOUR

T1 - Examining the effects of an infant-toddler school readiness intervention in center- and family-based programs: Are results generalizable?

AU - Bleses, Dorthe

AU - Jensen, Peter

AU - Højen, Anders

AU - Willemsen, Marinka

AU - Slot, Pauline

AU - Justice, Laura M.

PY - 2024/4

Y1 - 2024/4

N2 - Infants and toddlers frequently participate in either center- or family-based childcare programs. However, little is known about the efficacy of early learning interventions introduced in these two types of programs, in particular family-based programs. The present work builds upon findings of a recent experimental trial demonstrating that a 20-week infant-toddler intervention supporting center- and family-based teachers to be more explicit and intentional in their interactions had a significantly positive effect on targeted child outcomes. In this follow-up paper, we conducted secondary analyses exploring effects of the intervention across the two contexts, center- and family-based programs. Analyses showed that the social validity of the intervention was generally high in both settings, but even higher in family-based than center-based programs. Findings also showed that teachers in both types of programs implemented the intervention at a satisfactory level, but family-based teachers tended to implement more small-group activities and had more conversations with individual children. There were no differential impacts on child outcomes across the two contexts, except for an overall significant spill-over effect on the outcome of empathy within center-based care. Finally, we found that the intervention had positive effects on teachers’ use of counting and math activities in both types of programs.

AB - Infants and toddlers frequently participate in either center- or family-based childcare programs. However, little is known about the efficacy of early learning interventions introduced in these two types of programs, in particular family-based programs. The present work builds upon findings of a recent experimental trial demonstrating that a 20-week infant-toddler intervention supporting center- and family-based teachers to be more explicit and intentional in their interactions had a significantly positive effect on targeted child outcomes. In this follow-up paper, we conducted secondary analyses exploring effects of the intervention across the two contexts, center- and family-based programs. Analyses showed that the social validity of the intervention was generally high in both settings, but even higher in family-based than center-based programs. Findings also showed that teachers in both types of programs implemented the intervention at a satisfactory level, but family-based teachers tended to implement more small-group activities and had more conversations with individual children. There were no differential impacts on child outcomes across the two contexts, except for an overall significant spill-over effect on the outcome of empathy within center-based care. Finally, we found that the intervention had positive effects on teachers’ use of counting and math activities in both types of programs.

KW - Educational practice outcomes

KW - Family-based and center-based programs

KW - Language, math and social-emotional child outcomes

KW - School readiness intervention

KW - Toddler classrooms

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85183550966&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.01.001

DO - 10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.01.001

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0885-2006

VL - 67

SP - 252

EP - 264

JO - Early Childhood Research Quarterly

JF - Early Childhood Research Quarterly

ER -