Manuscript Details

McKelvey, L., Schiffman, R. F., Brophy-Herb, H. E., Bocknek, E. L., Fitzgerald, H. E., Reischl, T. M., Hawver, S., & DeLuca, M. C. (2015). Examining long-term effects of an infant mental health home-based Early Head Start Program on family strengths and resilience. Infant Mental Health Journal, 36(4), 353-365.

Moderate rating
Study reviewed under: Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 1
Study design characteristics contributing to rating
Design Attrition Baseline equivalence Confounding factors? Valid, reliable measures?
Randomized controlled trial Low

Not established on race; established on SES; not established on outcome measures assessable at baseline.

None

Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed under Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 1
Maternal Health
Outcome Measure Timing of Follow-Up Rating Direction of Effect Effect Size (Absolute Value) Stastical Significance Sample Size Sample Description
PSI: parent-child dysfunctional interaction Pooled (ages 3 and 7) Moderate
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 152 Full sample
PSI: parental distress Pooled (ages 3 and 7) Moderate
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 152 Full sample
F-COPES: cognitive reframing Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Not statistically significant, p >0.10 152 Full sample
F-COPES: seeking support from family and friends Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Not statistically significant, p >0.10 152 Full sample
F-COPES: seeking support from service providers Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Not statistically significant, p >0.10 152 Full sample
F-COPES: spiritual coping Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Not statistically significant, p > 0.10 152 Full sample
McMaster FAD: healthy functioning Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Statistically significant, p 152 Full sample
McMaster FAD: unhealthy functioning Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Statistically significant, p 152 Full sample
Pearlin Mastery, age 7 Age 7 Moderate
Statistically significant, p 152 0
PES: attitudes Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Statistically significant, p 152 Full sample
PES: skills & knowledge Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Statistically significant, p 152 Full sample
F-COPES: seeking support from neighbors Pooled (ages 3, 5, and 7) Moderate
Statistically significant, p 152 Full sample
Effect rating key
Favorable finding / Statistically significant
Unfavorable finding / Statistically significant
Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant
No effect / Not statistically significant

This study included participants with the following characteristics at enrollment:

Race/Ethnicity

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if Hispanic ethnicity was reported separately or respondents could select two or more race or ethnicity categories.

Black or African American
17%
White
75%
Some other race
8%

Maternal Education

Less than a high school diploma
45%
High school diploma or GED
35%
Unknown
20%

Other Characteristics

Data not available

This study included participants from the following locations:

  • Michigan
Study Participants

This study used data from one of 17 sites that were part of a national randomized controlled trial (the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project). This site, called the Pathways Project, implemented an infant mental health home-based services (IMH-HB) version of Early Head Start. The site randomly assigned 98 families to the treatment condition and 98 to the control condition. The analysis sample included 152 families who participated in three waves of data collection when the child was 3, 5, and 7 years old. The median household income at baseline data collection was $7,714 [1998 dollars], and approximately half (45 percent) of parents had less than a high school degree. The majority of parents were Caucasian (75 percent), 17 percent were African American, and the remainder (8 percent) identified as another race/ethnicity.

Setting

The study examined outcomes for participants in Jackson, Michigan. Jackson was one of 17 sites that participated in a larger study of Early Head Start.

Comparison Conditions

Families in the comparison condition were not enrolled in Early Head Start but could access similar services in their communities, including home visiting services. Seventy percent of families in the comparison condition accessed home visiting services, including those provided by Medicaid enhanced prenatal care programs.

Author Affiliation

The authors are members of the Early Head Start Research Consortium, and the research is part of an independent research conducted by Michigan State University.

Funding Sources

90YF0010: Pathways Project: Research into Directions for Family Health and Service Use, from the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Rachel F. Schiffman, Ph.D., R.N., Principal Investigator, Michigan State University.