This study will investigate the effects of a comprehensive intervention that integrates parent engagement and relationship components into a community-based early education program for children aged 0-5. It integrates a strong conceptual basis focusing on the context of dose relationships, and innovative service delivery models of consultation (triadic, McCollum & Yates, 1994; and conjoint, Sheridan, Kratochwill, & Bergan, 1996) in an intervention that addresses both child learning and parent engagement. The objective of this application is to carefully evaluate the overall benefits of a multicomponent child- and parent-focused intervention that addresses both home and center/school environments, and is designed to improve the skills of intervention agents to increase early and sustained parent engagement across multiple social and learning contexts. It includes the development of relationships within the home system (i.e., between the parent and child) and continued engagement in the child's learning and performance as s/he enters formal schooling environments. Specific research aims are to: (1) evaluate the effects of an innovative, comprehensive service delivery system on child cognitive, behavioral, and socioemotional outcomes, in comparison to the present conventional system for children under 5 years of age; (2) assess the impact of the proposed comprehensive intervention on parental engagement (i.e., warmth/sensitivity, support for child's autonomy, and active participation in learning and literacy); and (3) evaluate the extent to which child outcomes are mediated by changes in parental engagement. To address the extent to which children's cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioral functioning and parent engagement can be enhanced by the proposed intervention, we plan a randomized design to evaluate its impact on key outcomes predictive of school success. Additional analyses will specifically examine: (1) what child and family factors modify the intervention; (2) what components of the intervention, especially its timing at the ages of 0-3 versus 3-5, affect the outcome; and (3) the longitudinal pattern of change within each child. The approach is designed to advance the research base from one that focuses simply on """"""""child readiness"""""""" for school to one that addresses """"""""parent and child readiness"""""""" to engage in schooling across the early childhood spectrum and transitions across contexts. We plan to model the between-groups and within-child trajectories to better understand the timing and nature of changes indicating school readiness. Outcomes will be measured through standardized, validated instruments and observations of parent-child relationships.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD046135-02
Application #
6805905
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZHD1-DSR-H (03))
Program Officer
Griffin, James
Project Start
2003-09-26
Project End
2008-07-31
Budget Start
2004-08-01
Budget End
2005-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$1,002,765
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Education
DUNS #
555456995
City
Lincoln
State
NE
Country
United States
Zip Code
68588
Sheridan, Susan M; Knoche, Lisa L; Edwards, Carolyn P et al. (2014) Efficacy of the Getting Ready Intervention and the Role of Parental Depression. Early Educ Dev 25:746-769
Knoche, Lisa L; Sheridan, Susan M; Clarke, Brandy L et al. (2012) GETTING READY: RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF A RELATIONSHIP-FOCUSED INTERVENTION ON THE PARENT-INFANT RELATIONSHIP IN RURAL EARLY HEAD START. Infant Ment Health J 33:439-458
Sheridan, Susan M; Knoche, Lisa L; Kupzyk, Kevin A et al. (2011) A randomized trial examining the effects of parent engagement on early language and literacy: the Getting Ready intervention. J Sch Psychol 49:361-83
Sheridan, Susan M; Knoche, Lisa L; Edwards, Carolyn P et al. (2010) Parent Engagement and School Readiness: Effects of the Getting Ready Intervention on Preschool Children's Social-Emotional Competencies. Early Educ Dev 21:125-156
Knoche, Lisa L; Sheridan, Susan M; Edwards, Carolyn P et al. (2010) Implementation of a Relationship-Based School Readiness Intervention: A Multidimensional Approach to Fidelity Measurement for Early Childhood. Early Child Res Q 25:299-313
Sheridan, Susan M; Edwards, Carolyn Pope; Marvin, Christine A et al. (2009) Professional Development in Early Childhood Programs: Process Issues and Research Needs. Early Educ Dev 20:377-401