Related Experiment Videos
Preventive intervention for maltreated preschool children: impact on children's behavior, neuroendocrine activity,
P A Fisher1, M R Gunnar, P Chamberlain
1Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene 97401-2426, USA. philf@oslc.org
Insights
The Early Intervention Foster Care (EIFC) program improved parenting and child adjustment, unlike regular foster care which showed declines. This pilot study highlights EIFC
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Intervention Science
Background:
- Children entering foster care face significant adjustment challenges.
- Early intervention is crucial for mitigating negative outcomes in foster care placements.
- Existing foster care models may not adequately support children's immediate needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Early Intervention Foster Care (EIFC) program.
- To assess the impact of EIFC on parenting strategies and child behavioral adjustment.
- To examine physiological stress responses (salivary cortisol) in children under different care conditions.
Main Methods:
- Pilot study design comparing EIFC, regular foster care, and community comparison groups (N=10 each).
- Data collection via child/caretaker questionnaires and salivary cortisol sampling.
- Longitudinal assessment of parenting, child behavior, and stress markers.
Main Results:
- EIFC foster parents demonstrated sustained positive parenting practices.
- Children in the EIFC program showed improved behavioral adjustment.
- EIFC children exhibited positive changes in salivary cortisol measures, while regular foster care children showed functional decrements.
Conclusions:
- The EIFC program shows promise in supporting positive parenting and child adjustment during foster care transitions.
- Findings support the integration of EIFC principles into broader prevention research for high-risk preschool children.
- Early, targeted interventions are vital for improving outcomes for children in out-of-home care.
Objective:
This article describes the results of a pilot study that evaluated the effectiveness of the Early Intervention Foster Care (EIFC) program in the period immediately following a child's placement in a new foster home.
Method:
Data were collected from an EIFC group, a regular foster care group, and a community comparison group-each with 10 participants-via questionnaires for children and their caretakers and salivary cortisol sampling.
Results:
EIFC foster parents adopted and maintained positive parenting strategies, EIFC children's behavioral adjustment improved, and changes occurred in several salivary cortisol measures. Moreover, regular foster care children exhibited decrements in functioning in several areas over the same time period.
Conclusions:
Results are discussed with regard to how such research fits into a larger program of prevention research for high-risk preschool children.