An Examination of the Effects of Family-Centered Early Intervention on Child and Family Outcomes

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of family-centered early intervention services on children and their families during a 12-month period. The sample consisted of 47 families who attended 1 of 36 programs. We assessed children's developmental functioning, mothers' styles of interacting with their children, family functioning, and maternal stress both at the beginning and end of this study. At the midpoint of the study, mothers completed the Family-Focused Intervention Scale, which we used to classify the family-centered orientation of their services. Results indicated that during intervention children's developmental gains were equivalent to their rate of development prior to intervention, and there were no significant changes in the family variables assessed. Analyses of outcomes in relationship to two family-centered constructs—“comprehensiveness of family services” and “responsiveness of intervention services to family needs”—produced little evidence that intervention effectiveness was related to these parameters. Reasons for the limited relationships between family-centered services and child and family outcomes are discussed.