An Evaluation of an Integrated Parent-Effectiveness Training and Children's Enrichment Programme for Disadvantaged Families

Abstract

A number of developmental early childhood programmes have been implemented overseas to stimulate mother-child interaction in families whose environment is considered to be disadvantageous. There has been a tendency to use narrow cognitively oriented outcome measures, and findings on the efficacy of these programmes are still inconclusive. The present study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme designed to enhance the child's cognitive and socio-emotional functioning through mother-child interaction around a verbal interaction stimulus material, in a selected group of disadvantaged black families. A sample of 90 mothers and their pre-school children was randomly selected and assigned to the experimental group (A1) which received training, first control group (A2) which received visits only and second control group (A3) which was neither exposed to training nor visited. The mother-child dyads were assessed at pre-test, post-test and follow-up periods using two psychological measures, to monitor possible changes in children's development. An integrated parent-effectiveness and children's enrichment programme was found to be effective in stimulating children's cognitive and socio-affective development in disadvantaged black families.