Black or African American
25%
Caughy, M. O., Huang, K., Miller, T., & Genevro, J. L. (2004). The effects of Healthy Steps for Young Children Program: Results from observations of parenting and child development. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 19(4), 611–630.
Model(s) Reviewed
Navigate to model page for more information about the home visiting model.
Funding Sources
Funder(s) not listed.
Study Design
| Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Confounding factors | Valid, reliable measures? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randomized controlled trial | High | Established on race/ethnicity and SES (i.e., maternal education and Medicaid coverage). Equivalence on baseline measures is not feasible. |
None |
Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed under Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 1 |
The standard errors in Caughy et al. (2004) are adjusted for making multiple comparisons.
Findings that rate moderate or high in this manuscript
Child development and school readiness
| Outcome measure | Timing of follow-up | Rating | Direction of Effect | Effect size (absolute value) | Stastical significance | Sample size | Sample description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attachment Q-sort scale | 16-18 mo. | Moderate | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 | 378 children | 2 of the 6 RCT national evaluation sites |
Study Participants
The sample included 378 mothers with children ages 16 to 18 months at assessment. All women enrolled in Healthy Steps within four weeks of the child’s birth. Study enrollment occurred between September 1996 and November 1998. Most mothers had a high school degree (86%) and one in five also had a college degree. Study participants tended to be either white (62%) or African American (25%). The most common maternal age groups were 20-29 (57%) and over 30 (25%). Two in three mothers were married.
Setting
The study used two of the six randomly assigned pediatric care sites that were part of the national evaluation of Healthy Steps (Amarillo, TX, and Florence, SC). One site was in the southeast and one site was in the southwest. Both sites served economically and racially/ethnically diverse populations.
Home Visiting Services
Healthy Steps Specialists provided well-child care, home visits, a child development telephone information line, child development and family health checkups, written materials for parents that emphasize prevention, parent group meetings, and links to community resources. The program offered families nine standard pediatric office visits and six home visits by the time the children were age 3. Healthy Steps families received, on average, two home visits.
Model(s) Reviewed
Navigate to model page for more information about the home visiting model.
Comparison Conditions
Children in the control group received routine pediatric care but had no exposure to the Healthy Steps Specialist or to Healthy Steps materials.
This study included participants from the following locations:
- South Carolina
- Texas