TY - JOUR
T1 - Maximizing the potential of early childhood education to prevent externalizing behavior problems
T2 - A meta-analysis
AU - Schindler, Holly S.
AU - Kholoptseva, Jenya
AU - Oh, Soojin S.
AU - Yoshikawa, Hirokazu
AU - Duncan, Greg J.
AU - Magnuson, Katherine A.
AU - Shonkoff, Jack P.
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to the following funders of the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs: the Birth to Five Policy Alliance, the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Casey Family Programs, the McCormick Tribune Foundation, the Norlien Foundation, Harvard University, and an Anonymous Donor. We are also grateful to the Institute of Education Sciences, US Department of Education for supporting this research (#R305A110035), and to Abt Associates, Inc. and the National Institute for Early Education Research for making their data available to us.
PY - 2015/6/1
Y1 - 2015/6/1
N2 - Early childhood education (ECE) programs offer a promising mechanism for preventing early externalizing behavior problems and later antisocial behavior; yet, questions remain about how to best maximize ECE's potential. Using a meta-analytic database of 31 studies, we examined the overall effect of ECE on externalizing behavior problems and the differential effects of 3 levels of practice, each with increasing specificity and intensity aimed at children's social and emotional development. In short, we found that each successive level of programs did a better job than the prior level at reducing externalizing behavior problems. Level 1 programs, or those without a clear focus on social and emotional development, had no significant effects on externalizing behavior problems relative to control groups (ES = .13 SD, p< .10). On the other hand, level 2 programs, or those with a clear but broad focus on social and emotional development, were significantly associated with modest decreases in externalizing behavior problems relative to control groups (ES= - .10 SD, p< .05). Hence, level 2 programs were significantly better at reducing externalizing behavior problems than level 1 programs (ES = - .23 SD, p< .01). Level 3 programs, or those that more intensively targeted children's social and emotional development, were associated with additional significant reductions in externalizing behavior problems relative to level 2 programs (ES = - 26 SD, p< .05). The most promising effects came from level 3 child social skills training programs, which reduced externalizing behavior problems half of a standard deviation more than level 2 programs (ES = - .50 SD, p< .05).
AB - Early childhood education (ECE) programs offer a promising mechanism for preventing early externalizing behavior problems and later antisocial behavior; yet, questions remain about how to best maximize ECE's potential. Using a meta-analytic database of 31 studies, we examined the overall effect of ECE on externalizing behavior problems and the differential effects of 3 levels of practice, each with increasing specificity and intensity aimed at children's social and emotional development. In short, we found that each successive level of programs did a better job than the prior level at reducing externalizing behavior problems. Level 1 programs, or those without a clear focus on social and emotional development, had no significant effects on externalizing behavior problems relative to control groups (ES = .13 SD, p< .10). On the other hand, level 2 programs, or those with a clear but broad focus on social and emotional development, were significantly associated with modest decreases in externalizing behavior problems relative to control groups (ES= - .10 SD, p< .05). Hence, level 2 programs were significantly better at reducing externalizing behavior problems than level 1 programs (ES = - .23 SD, p< .01). Level 3 programs, or those that more intensively targeted children's social and emotional development, were associated with additional significant reductions in externalizing behavior problems relative to level 2 programs (ES = - 26 SD, p< .05). The most promising effects came from level 3 child social skills training programs, which reduced externalizing behavior problems half of a standard deviation more than level 2 programs (ES = - .50 SD, p< .05).
KW - Child social skills training
KW - Early childhood education
KW - Externalizing behavior problems
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Prevention
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jsp.2015.04.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jsp.2015.04.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 26054817
AN - SCOPUS:84930733732
VL - 53
SP - 243
EP - 263
JO - Journal of School Psychology
JF - Journal of School Psychology
SN - 0022-4405
IS - 3
ER -