The experimental analysis of the effects of early intervention with normal, at-risk, and handicapped children under three

Abstract

This research examined the effects of a longitudinal intervention program on the developmental status of a group of normal, at-risk, and handicapped children under 3 years of age. The intervention included the “Neurodevelopmental/Prescriptive” approach to child assessment and planning, the “Eco-Behavioral” approach to the organization and management of the environment, and an on-going program of staff training and supervision to insure model implementation in a program that provided these interventions 40 hours per week to all children. These conditions created a “developmentally appropriate, contingently responsive” setting that previous research has shown is related to the production of optimal functioning in young children. Results are presented in terms of rates of development compared from pre-intervention to intervention on two developmental measures and were analyzed in single-subject and grouped comparison designs. For all handicapped and at-risk children, the data indicated that significant improvements in child performance occurred as a function of intervention. Degree of improvements in children's performance was also correlated with earlier age of program entry. Suggestions for further research are presented.