This project represents a new line of inquiry aimed at understanding the influences of future orientation and other associated psychological characteristics on participant engagement in Early Head Start. Such an understanding could improve the capacity of Early Head Start programs to promote engagement and program utilization. To this end, the psychological characteristics (agency, depression, and relationship attitudes) of pregnant women and mothers enrolled in Early Head Start are to be studied in relation to level of future orientation, in order to predict temporal (e.g., attendance, keeping appointments, duration of meetings) and psychosocial aspects of program engagement. The project also entails an exploration of participant educational / occupational goal development at the time of enrollment in relation to future orientation, and in relation to program engagement at 2 and 6 months post enrollment. Also, while the current study addresses characteristics of pregnant women and mothers (who constitute the majority of EHS caregivers), a parallel study is planned of the same variables with fathers and other male caregivers of children enrolled in Early Head Start.
