Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-xbtfd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T08:03:49.418Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Efficacy research in early intervention: An elusive quest?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Coral Kemp  and
Mark Cart
Coral Kemp*
Affiliation:
Special Education Centre, Macquarie University
Mark Cart
Affiliation:
Special Education Centre, Macquarie University
*
Correspondence to: Coral Kemp Special Education Centre, Macquarie University, NSW, 2109 Phone: 805 8712 Fax: 805 8712 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The last two decades have given rise to the development of a large range of Early Intervention programs catering for the needs of infants and young children who are environmentally disadvantaged, biologically ‘at risk’ or who have established disabilities. From the time programs of this type were first established, researchers have been struggling to demonstrate their efficacy. These attempts have been impeded by ethical concerns and methodological difficulties. This paper presents a review of the efficacy literature in Early Intervention. While questioning the value of the ‘quest’ to establish efficacy per se, it highlights the importance of identifying critical program components and of testing the impact of these components through carefully controlled short and long-term research.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , January 1993 , pp. 3 - 15
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aronson, M. & Fallstrom, K. (1977). Immediate and long-term effects of developmental training in children with Down syndrome. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 19, 489–494.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bailey, E.J. & Bricker, D.D. (1984). The efficacy of early intervention for severely handicapped infants & young children. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 4, 30–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beauchamp, K.D.F. (1989). Meta-analysis in early childhood special education research Journal of Early Intervention, 13, 374–380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bricker, D., & Sheehan, R. (1981). Effectiveness of an early intervention program as indexed by child change. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 4, 11–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bricker, D.D. (1987). Early education of at-risk and handicapped infants, toddlers and preschool children. Glenview IL: Scott, Foresman.Google Scholar
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1975). Is early intervention effective? In B.Z., Friedlander, O.M., Sterritt & G.E., Kirk (Eds.). Exceptional infant, volume 3: Assessment and intervention (pp. 449–475). New York: Brunner Mazel.Google Scholar
Carr, J. (1975). Young children with Down’s syndrome. London: Butterworth.Google Scholar
Carta, J. & Greenwood, C. (1985). Eco-behavioral assessment: A methodology for expanding the evaluation of early intervention programs, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 5, 88–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carter, M. (1988). A review of the efficacy of early intervention with Down syndrome children. In M., Pieterse, S., Bochner and Bettison, S. (Eds.), Early intervention for children with disabilities: The Australian experience (pp. 365–381). Sydney: Macquarie University Special Education Centre.Google Scholar
Casto, G. (1988). Research and program evaluation in early childhood special education. In Odom, S. L. and Karnes, M. B. (Eds.). Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 51–62). Baltimore: Brooks.Google Scholar
Casto, G., & Mastropieri, M.A. (1986). The efficacy of early intervention programs: A meta-analysis. Exceptional Children, 52, 417–424.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Casto, G., & White, K. (1985). The efficacy of early intervention programs with environmentally at-risk infants. Journal of Children in Contemporary Society, 17, 37–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clunies-Ross, G.G. (1979). Accelerating the development of Down syndrome infants and young children. The Journal of Special Education, 13, 169–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunst, C.J. (1985). Rethinking early intervention. Analysis and Intervention in Developmental Disabilities, 5, 165–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dunst, C.J., Johanson, C., Trivette, C. M., & Hamby, D. (1991). Family-oriented early intervention policies and practices: Family-centered or not? Exceptional Children, 58, 115–126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dunst, C.J., Leet, H.E., & Trivette, C.M. (1988). Family resources, personal well-being, and early intervention. Journal of Special Education, 22, 108–116.Google Scholar
Dunst, C.J. & Reingrover, R.M. (1981). Analysis of the efficacy of infant intervention programs for handicapped children. Evaluation and Program Planning, 4, 287–332.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dunst, C.J., Trivette, C.M., & Cross, A.H. (1986). Mediating influences of social support: Personal, family, and child outcomes. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 90, 403–417.Google ScholarPubMed
Dunst, C.J., Trivette, C. M., Hamby, D., & Pollock, B. (1990). Family systems correlates of the behavior of young children with handicaps. Journal of Early Intervention, 14, 204–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eysenck, H.J. (1978). An exercise in mega-silliness. American Psychologist, 33, 517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farran, D.C. (1990). Effects of intervention with dis advantaged and disabled children: A decade review. In Shonkoff, P. & Meisels, S.J. (Eds.). Hand book of early childhood intervention (pp. 501–539). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Filler, J. & Olson, J. (1991). Early intervention for disabled infants, toddlers and preschool age children. In Gaylord-Ross, R. (Ed.). Research issues in special education (pp. 82–109). New York: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Gilhousen, M.R., Allen, L.R., Lasater, L.M., Farceli, D.M. and Reynolds, C.R. (1990). Veracity and vicissitude: A critical look at the Milwaukee project. Journal of School Psychology, 28, 285–299.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guralnick, M.J., (1988). Efficacy research in early childhood education. In Odom, S. L. and Karaes, M. B. (Eds.). Early intervention/or infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 75–78). Baltimore: Brooks.Google ScholarPubMed
Guralnick, M.J., (1989). Recent developments in early intervention efficacy research: Implications for family involvement in P.L. 99-457. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 9, 1–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guralnick, M.J., & Bennett, F.C. (Eds.) (1987). The effectiveness of early intervention for at-risk and handicapped children. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Guralnick, M.J. & Bricker, D. (1987). The effectiveness of early intervention for children with cognitive and general developmental delays. In Guralnick, M.J. & Bennett, F.C. (Eds.). The effectiveness of early intervention for at-risk and handicapped children (pp. 115–173). New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Hanson, M.J. (1981). Down syndrome children: characteristics and intervention research. In Lewis, M. and Rosenblum, L. (Eds). The uncommon child (pp. 83–114). New York: Plenum.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanson, M.J. & Lynch, E.W. (1989). Early intervention: Implementing child and family services for infants and toddlers who are at-risk or disabled Austin: PRO-ED.Google Scholar
Hayden, A.H., & Dmitriev, V. (1975). The multidisciplinary preschool program for Down syndrome children at the University of Washington Model Preschool Center. In Friedlander, B.Z., Sterritt, B.M., & Kirk, G.E. (Eds.). Exceptional infant, volume 3: Assessment and intervention (pp. 193–221). New York: Brunner Mazel.Google Scholar
Karnes, M.B. and Johnson, L.J. (1988). Considerations and future directions for conducting research with young handicapped and at-risk children. In Odom, S. L. and Karnes, M. B. (Eds.). Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 287–298). Baltimore: Brooks.Google Scholar
Kemp, C. (1992), Distinctive features of early intervention services within early intervention Special Education Perspectives, 1, 3–14.Google Scholar
Kratochwill, T.R. & Piersel, W.C. (1983). Time-series research: Contributions to empirical clinical practice. Behavioral Assessment, 5, 165–176.Google Scholar
McDonnell, A., and Hardman, M. (1988). A synthesis of “best practice” guidelines for early childhood services. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 12, 328–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neisworth, J.T. & Bagnato, S.J. (1988). Assessment in early childhood special education. In Odom, S. L. and Karnes, M. B. (Eds.). Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 23–49). Baltimore: Brooks.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L. (1988). Research in early childhood special education: Methodologies and paradigms, In Odom, S. L. and Karnes, M. B. (Eds.). Early intervention for infants and children with handicaps: An empirical base (pp. 1–21). Baltimore: Brooks.Google Scholar
Odom, S.L. & McConnell, S.R. (1985). Performance-based conceptualisation of social competence of handicapped preschool children: Implications for assessment, Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 4, 1–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scruggs, T.G., Mastropieri, , McEwen, I. (1988). Early intervention for developmental functioning: a quantative synthesis of single-subject, Journal of the Division for Early Childhood 12, 339–367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shonkoff, J.P. & Hauser-Cam, P. (1987). Early intervention for disabled infants and their families: A quantative analysis, Pediatrics, 80, 650–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shonkoff, P. & Meisels, S.J. (1990). Early childhood intervention: the evolution of a concept, In Shonkoff, P., & Meisels, S.J. (Eds.). Handbook of early childhood intervention (pp. 3–31). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
R.J., Simeonson, Cooper, D.H. & Schemer, A.P. (1982). A review and analysis of the effectiveness of early intervention programs, Pediatrics, 69, 635–641.Google Scholar
Simpson, R.G., & Eaves, R.C. (1985). Do we need more qualitative research or more good research? A reaction to Stainback & Stainback, Exceptional Children, 51, 325–330.Google Scholar
Skeels, H.M. (1942). A study of the effects of differential stimulation on mentally retarded children.: A follow-up study, American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 46, 340–350.Google Scholar
Slavin, R.E., (1984). Meta-analysis in education: how has it been used? Educational Researcher, 13, 6–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Slavin, R.E. (1986), Best-evidence synthesis: An alternative to meta-analytic and traditional reviews. Educational Researcher, 15, 5–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stainback, S., & Stainback, W., (1984). Broadening the research perspective in special education. Exceptional Children, 50, 400–409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stainback, S. and Stainback, W., (1985). Qualitative and quantative methodologies: competitive or complementary. A response to Simpson and Eaves. Exceptional Children, 51, 330–334.Google Scholar
Strain, P., (1981). Conceptual and methodological issues in efficacy research with behaviorally disordered children. Journal of the Division for Early Childhood, 4, 111–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Strain, P.S., (1988). The evaluation of early intervention research: separating the winners from the losers. Journal of the Division for Early childhood, 12, 182–190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Trivette, C.M., & Dunst, C.J. (1992). Characteristics and influences of role division and social support among mothers of preschool children with disabilities. Topics in Early Childhood Education, 12, 367–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wolery, M. (1991). Instruction in early childhood special education: “seeing through a glass darkly ...knowing in part”. Exceptional Children, 58, 127–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zigler, E. & Balla, D., (1982). Selecting outcome variables in evaluations of early childhood special education programs. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 1, 11–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar