Boyd, A. (1997). Parents as first teachers pilot project evaluation (PAFT) : Report on Whangarei region: Final complete draft. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Model(s) Reviewed:
Parents as First Teachers (New Zealand)
| Screening decision | Screening conclusion | HomVEE procedures and standards version |
|---|---|---|
| Passes screens | Eligible for review | Version 1 |
| Rating | Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Compromised randomization | Confounding factors | Valid, reliable measure(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Randomized controlled trial | Low | Not established on race/ethnicity, SES, or outcomes | None | None | Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed before 2021 |
Notes:
In order to receive a high rating, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with low attrition must control for race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and, if applicable, baseline outcomes if statistically significant differences exist between treatment and control groups. In this case, we had insufficient information to assess baseline equivalence on race/ethnicity, SES, or outcomes in order to determine if there were statistically significant differences for which the authors should have controlled in analyses.
This study received a mixed rating. Four outcomes have low attrition and receive a moderate rating (positive child behaviors - problem solving task, total; positive caregiver behaviors - imaginative play episode, responding to child; positive child behaviors - imaginative play episode, attending to help; positive child behaviors - imaginative play episode, using information). All other outcomes have high attrition and baseline equivalence is not established on race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), or any outcomes. These outcomes rate low (low-rated outcomes are not reported).
| Study participants | The Parents as First Teachers (PAFT) pilot project was initiated in 1992–1993 in four areas of New Zealand: Whangarei, South Auckland, Gisbome, and Dunedin. This study reports on the Whangarei region. The PAFT pilot project aimed to provide first-time parents in each of the four geographical areas with a variety of services, from the birth of their first child until the child was 3 years of age. Participants were randomly assigned to the program or comparison group; 101 program families and 89 comparison families took part in the evaluation. |
|---|---|
| Setting | This study took place in the Whangarei region of New Zealand. |
| Intervention services | Trained parent educators provided monthly home visits, offering parenting education and guidance with the goal of increasing parents’ feelings of confidence and competence. The intervention included periodic child development screening and any necessary referrals, monthly group meetings, and access to resources at PAFT centers. |
| Comparison conditions | Comparison group families had annual contact with program staff, via mailings, to maintain contact and update addresses. |
| Subgroups examined |
This field lists subgroups examined in the manuscript (even if they were not replicated in other samples and not reported on the summary page for this model’s report). Subgroups are not listed for manuscripts reviewed before 2021. |
| Funding sources | New Zealand Ministry of Education |
| Author affiliation | None of the study authors is a developer of this model. |
| Peer reviewed | Peer reviewed status is not listed for manuscripts reviewed before 2021. |
Findings that rate moderate or high
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Positive child behaviors - imaginative play episode, attending to help | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Whangarei | 3 years | 163 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 2.00 | Unadjusted mean = 2.45 | Mean difference = -0.45 | HomVEE calculated = -0.13 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.41 | |
| Moderate | Positive child behaviors - imaginative play episode, using information | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Whangarei | 3 years | 163 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 1.99 | Unadjusted mean = 2.18 | Mean difference = -0.19 | HomVEE calculated = -0.09 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.58 | |
| Moderate | Positive child behaviors - problem solving task, total | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Whangarei | 3 years | 129 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 12.09 | Unadjusted mean = 11.31 | Mean difference = 0.78 | HomVEE calculated = 0.11 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.52 |
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Positive caregiver behaviors - imaginative play episode, responding to child | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Whangarei | 3 years | 143 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 3.75 | Unadjusted mean = 4.29 | Mean difference = -0.54 | HomVEE calculated = -0.19 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.25 |