Manuscript Detail | Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness

Source

Vogel, C. A., Xue, Y., Moiduddin, E. M., Kisker, E. E., & Carlson, B. L. (2010). Early Head Start children in grade 5: Long-term follow-up of the Early Head Start research and evaluation study sample (OPRE Report #2011-8). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/grade5.pdf

Moderate rating

Model(s) Reviewed

Early Head Start—Home-based option

Author Affiliation

Authors were affiliated with Mathematica and its subcontractor, Twin Peaks Partners, LLC. HomVEE is not aware of any relationship between the authors and the home visiting model’s developer or distributor.

Funding Sources

This research was supported by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, with funding by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a competitive award, Contract No. HHSP233200700009T.

Study Design

Design	Attrition	Baseline equivalence	Confounding factors	Valid, reliable measures?
Randomized controlled trial	High	Established on race/ethnicity, SES, and baseline measures of the outcome(s)	No	Yes

Notes

This study is based on data from a randomized controlled trial of 17 Early Head Start (EHS) programs. Seven programs served families through a home-based option (EHS–HBO), which includes weekly home visits and is the focus on HomVEE’s review. Some findings about parent substance and alcohol use, housing security, household income, and family conflict received a low rating because they had high attrition and did not satisfy the baseline equivalence requirement. Some findings about children’s reading and math proficiency, social-emotional skills, parent relationship, and parenting practices received an indeterminate rating because HomVEE could not assess whether the measures were reliable or if baseline equivalence requirements were satisfied according to HomVEE standards. One finding about whether a child had 26 or more books at home was ineligible to review because the “26 or more” threshold was not justified. Information on reliability of measures, along with information necessary to demonstrate equivalence of the intervention and comparison groups, is based on correspondence with the author.

Study Participants

Study participants were families who met criteria to qualify for Early Head Start (EHS) programs, which included having a household income at or below the federal poverty level or having a child with a disability who is eligible for Part C services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in their state. A total of 1,386 families were randomly assigned to either Early Head Start–Home-based option (EHS–HBO; 707 families) or the comparison condition (679 families). At the time of enrollment, the mother was pregnant or the focal child was younger than 12 months old. Outcomes were measured when the focal child was in Grade 5. For this follow-up, 748 families (397 in EHS–HBO and 351 in the comparison group) provided data. In the study, 43 percent of the primary caregivers were non-Hispanic White, 29 percent were non-Hispanic Black, 26 percent were Hispanic, and 3 percent identified as another race. Thirty-three percent of the families in the study had household income below 33 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL); 27 percent had household income between 33 and 66 percent FPL; 28 percent had household income between 67 and 99 percent FPL; and 12 percent had household income greater than or equal to 100 percent FPL.

Setting

The study was conducted in 17 EHS programs throughout the United States, including seven programs with home-based options, which are the focus of this report.

Home Visiting Services

As described in this manuscript, Early Head Start–Home-based option (EHS–HBO) services were delivered to families during weekly home visits. Typical home visits are at least one hour long. Topics for home visits included child growth and development, child play activities, housing issues, and parent-child communication.

Comparison Conditions

Families assigned to the comparison condition were not eligible to enroll in EHS–HBO. They could receive other services available in the community.

Were any subgroups examined?

Subgroups examined

There were no subgroups reported in this manuscript.

Study Participants

Setting

The study was conducted in 17 EHS programs throughout the United States, including seven programs with home-based options, which are the focus of this report.

Home Visiting Services

Comparison Conditions

Families assigned to the comparison condition were not eligible to enroll in EHS–HBO. They could receive other services available in the community.

Were any subgroups examined?

Subgroups examined

There were no subgroups reported in this manuscript.

Findings that rate moderate or high in this manuscript

Child development and school readiness
Outcome measure	Timing of follow-up	Rating	Effect size (absolute value)	Stastical significance	Sample size	Sample description
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Internalizing behavior	Grade 5	Moderate	0.11	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Externalizing behavior	Grade 5	Moderate	0.10	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Attention problems	Grade 5	Moderate	0.11	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Self-reported delinquent behavior	Grade 5	Moderate	0.00	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	706 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies - Kindergarten Self Description Questionnaire (ECLS-K SDQ): Anger/distractibility	Grade 5	Moderate	0.04	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	709 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies - Kindergarten Self Description Questionnaire (ECLS-K SDQ): Sad/lonely/anxious	Grade 5	Moderate	0.00	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	709 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies - Kindergarten Self Description Questionnaire (ECLS-K SDQ): Peer relations	Grade 5	Moderate	0.09	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	707 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Panel Study of Income Dynamics - Child Development Supplement, Wave 2 (PSID-CDS2): Bullying scale	Grade 5	Moderate	0.06	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	705 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
ADD/ADHD diagnosis	Grade 5	Moderate	0.13	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	744 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Retention (%)	Grade 5	Moderate	0.04	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Chronic absenteeism (%)	Grade 5	Moderate	0.06	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	737 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)	Grade 5	Moderate	0.04	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Aggressive behavior	Grade 5	Moderate	0.11	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Rule-breaking behavior	Grade 5	Moderate	0.08	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Social problems	Grade 5	Moderate	0.11	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Anxious/depressed	Grade 5	Moderate	0.14	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Withdrawn/depressed	Grade 5	Moderate	0.02	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Somatic complaints	Grade 5	Moderate	0.07	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample
Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL): Thought problems	Grade 5	Moderate	0.08	Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05	747 children	EHS-HBO vs. comparison, 1996-1998, full sample

Effect rating key

Favorable finding / Statistically significant

UnFavorable finding / Statistically significant

Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant