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Parent-child development center follow-up project: child behavior problem results

Dale L Johnson1

  • 1University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. dljohnson@uh.edu

The Journal of Primary Prevention
|June 28, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Long-term follow-up of Parent-Child Development Centers (PCDCs) found few significant differences in preventing child behavior problems. This study cautions against viewing early prevention programs as permanent solutions.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Program Evaluation

Background:

  • Parent-Child Development Centers (PCDCs) aim to prevent childhood behavior problems.
  • Previous research indicated short-term positive effects of PCDCs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the long-term effectiveness of PCDCs in preventing child behavior problems.
  • To assess outcomes 6-13 years after program completion.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 581 children across three PCDC sites (Birmingham, New Orleans, Houston).
  • Data collected via interviews with mothers and teachers.
  • Utilized the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) for outcome measurement.

Main Results:

  • Few significant differences were observed between PCDC participants and control groups at long-term follow-up.
  • Early cohorts in the Houston PCDC showed significant differences on the CBCL.

Conclusions:

  • The long-term impact of PCDCs on preventing behavior problems may be limited.
  • Findings suggest early prevention programs may not offer lasting 'inoculation' effects.
  • Implementation differences across sites and cohorts warrant further investigation.

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