Preventive intervention during the perinatal and infancy periods: overview and guidelines for evaluation

This paper reviews recent changes in perspectives of development in the prenatal, neonatal, and infancy periods and describes exemplary preventive interventions and their evaluation. Particular emphasis is placed on expanding criteria for successful early interventions to include measures of socioemotional and physical health as well as the more traditional measures of intellectual development. A theme which emerges is the need for peer and professional support for early parenting.