A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Differential Effects of an Early Childhood Care Preventive Intervention Program on Behavior and Emotional Problems
Authors: Zarra-Nezhad Maryam, Moazami-Goodarzi Ali, Muotka Joona, Hess Markus, Havu-Nuutinen Sari, Scheithauer Herbert
Publisher: SPRINGER
Publication year: 2023
Journal: Journal of Child and Family Studies
Journal name in source: JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES
Journal acronym: J CHILD FAM STUD
Number of pages: 17
ISSN: 1062-1024
eISSN: 1573-2843
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02655-4
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02655-4
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/180844200
Additional information: Erratum / Correction to this article: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02697-8; DOI: 10.1007/s10826-023-02697-8
Early childhood is a crucial time for developing social-emotional skills, offering the opportunity to lay the foundation for healthy development. However, early childhood behavior problems are risk factors for problems and disorders in later life phases, including depression, antisocial behavior, and substance abuse. This study uses a longitudinal design to examine the differential impact of a preventive intervention and social-emotional learning program (Papilio-3to6) on children's social-emotional development. The program was evaluated using a 1-year-randomized controlled trial design with an intervention (IG) and control group (CG) that provided data at a pretest and post-test. Teachers rated 627 children's behaviors (M-AGE = 56.77 months at pretest) from 50 daycare center groups using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). To investigate differential effectiveness, a latent profile analysis at the pretest identified three distinct subgroups of children with different patterns in SDQ subscales: 1) Internalizers with high internalizing problems, 2) Prosocials with high prosocial behaviors, and 3) Externalizers with high externalizing problems. Latent change score analysis showed significantly reduced externalizing problems and increased prosocial behaviors in the IG compared to the CG. Further, the children categorized as Internalizers, Prosocials, and Externalizers benefited from the program regarding externalizing problems. However, no effect was found regarding internalizing problems.
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