EDUCATIONAL FOLLOW-UP STUDY

Abstract

Significant acceleration of infant performance was previously reported on educational intervention program delivered to matched sample of 36 socially disadvantaged mother-infant pairs during first year of life. Testing of infants at 2 and 3 years of age suggests that positive results of earlier treatment were evanescent in absence of continued intervention. In the retrospective analysis of 15 social variables describing multi-problem families, mother's age, education, plans for returning to school, living arrangement, geographic living area, and any reported socially deviant behavior were most predictive of social risk status. Interaction between social risk scores of mothers and performance of their infants was analyzed. There was a negative correlation between risk scores of mothers and performance of their infants at year one (r=-.388; p<.02); at year two (r=-.488; p<.008); and at year three (verbal, r=-.340; p<.049 and cognitive, r=-.288; p<.099). Collection and analysis of follow-up data argue for continuous educational intervention for socially at risk mother-infant pairs during pre-school years.