Barry CM, Robinson LR, Kaminski JW, Danielson ML, Jones CL, Lang DL. Behavioral and Socioemotional Outcomes of the Legacy for Children™ Randomized Control Trial to Promote Healthy Development of Children Living in Poverty, 4 to 6 Years Postintervention.
J Dev Behav Pediatr 2022;
43:e39-e47. [PMID:
33941737 PMCID:
PMC10949951 DOI:
10.1097/dbp.0000000000000962]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this article was to assess the impact on behavioral and socioemotional development, 4 to 6 years postintervention (depending on the curriculum), of Legacy for Children™, a public health approach to improve child developmental outcomes among families living in poverty.
METHODS
Mothers who were recruited prenatally or at the time of childbirth participated in a set of Legacy parallel design randomized control trials between 2001 and 2009 in Miami, Florida, or Los Angeles, California. Of the initial 574 mother-child dyads, 364 completed at least 1 behavioral or socioemotional outcome measure at the third-grade follow-up. Intention-to-treat analyses compared Legacy and comparison groups on behavioral and socioemotional outcomes.
RESULTS
Children of Legacy mothers in Los Angeles were at lower risk for externalizing behaviors and poor adaptive skills than children whose mothers did not participate in the intervention. No significant outcome differences by group assignment were found in Miami.
CONCLUSION
Group-based positive parenting interventions such as Legacy may have a sustained impact on children's behavioral and socioemotional development several years after intervention completion.
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