Child-Parent Rating Scales for the Puzzle Challenge Task
Instruments
Child welfare and mental health initiatives
An examination of three national, multi-site child welfare research initiatives: the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies in Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW), and the Head Start Mental Health Research Consortium (HSMHRC)
Other
Early child care initiatives
An overview of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care; the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes (CQO) Study; the National Study of Child Care for Low-Income Families; and the Growing Up in Poverty (GUP) Project
Other
Early child development in the 21st century: Profiles of current research initiatives
An anthology of ongoing, large scale research initiatives on early childhood education and development, assembled as part of the Synthesis and Profiles of Research Initiatives on Early Childhood Education and Development Project
Other
Early childhood intervention research initiatives
An evaluation of two early childhood interventions: the Comprehensive Child Development Program (CCDP), and the Early Head Start (EHS) Research and Evaluation Project
Other
Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project
This project involves both a cross-site national study and local longitudinal studies of low-income families with young children in Early Head Start sites in 17 communities in the United States. The project was funded in two waves: Birth to Three (1996-2001) and Pre-Kindergarten Follow-Up (2001-2004). The five major components of the project are: an implementation study, an impact evaluation, local research studies, policy studies, and efforts toward continuous program improvement. The implementation study assessed the level and quality of implementation of EHS at each site, as well as variations across sites, with regard to five program areas: child development and health care; family partnerships; community involvement and partnerships; staff development; and program management. Results include a profile of each of the 17 research programs, their services and expected outcomes. The information gathered was critical for the development of the impact evaluation analyses and the identification of pathways to full implementation. The impact evaluation followed a random assignment, longitudinal design to examine how child, parent and family outcomes were influenced by EHS programs, as well as by variations in program approaches and community contexts, program implementation and services, and the characteristics of children and their families. The third component involves 16 local research projects conducted by 15 university-based researchers who partnered with Early Head Start research programs. Designed to investigate the unique outcomes and program functions of each Early Head Start program, these longitudinal studies continue through the second phase of the project, Pre-Kindergarten Follow-up (2001-2004). The policy studies component focuses on issues related to welfare reform, health and disabilities, child-care and fatherhood. The component of continuous program improvement consists of reports and presentations disseminating new information that can help all Early Head Start programs to increase their ability to meet the needs of families.
Major Research Projects
Family support initiatives
An overview of two national family support initiatives: the National Even Start Evaluation, and the National Evaluation of Family Support Programs (NEFSP)
Other
Four new national longitudinal surveys on children
An examination of four nationally representative longitudinal studies focusing on early childhood within several different contexts: child development, child wellbeing, familial composition, socioeconomic status, and other demographic characteristics
Other
High Chair (Frustration) Assessment
Instruments
Initiatives on children with special needs
A discussion of the implications associated with including special needs children in large scale studies
Other
Initiatives on the transition to school
An evaluation of two studies on school readiness: the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES), and the National Head Start/Public School Early Childhood Transition Demonstration Study
Other
Neighborhood-based initiatives
An overview of two studies of the effects of community influences on child and family outcomes: the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN), and the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Study (LA FANS)
Other
The NICHD Study of Early Child Care: Contexts of development and developmental outcomes over the first seven years of life
A description of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care’s examination of the relationship between child care and children's development over the first seven years of life
Reports & Papers
Pre- and perinatal home visitation interventions
An evaluation of three home visitation programs that focus on pre- and perinatal care: the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), the Healthy Families America (HFA) program, and the Healthy Steps (HS) for Young Children program
Other
The profiles project
An overview of the development and implementation of the Synthesis and Profiles of Research Initiatives on Early Childhood Education and Development Project, created to investigate and report on twenty-eight current, nationally representative, longitudinal studies
Other
Testing maternal depression and attachment style as moderators of Early Head Start's effects on parenting
A study of the moderating influences of both maternal depression and attachment style on the relationship between Early Head Start participation and maternal supportiveness, intrusiveness, spanking, and perceived negative interactions, based on data collected from 947 mothers
Reports & Papers
Themes in developmental research: Historical roots and promise for the future
An overview of the historical context for current research initiatives regarding early childhood development
Other
Welfare-to-work initiatives
An overview of five studies examining the effects of welfare-to-work programs on school age, low income children and their families
Other
