ERIC Number: EJ1049493
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Dec
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Head Start's Impact Is Contingent on Alternative Type of Care in Comparison Group
Zhai, Fuhua; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Waldfogel, Jane
Developmental Psychology, v50 n12 p2572-2586 Dec 2014
Using data ("n" = 3,790 with 2,119 in the 3-year-old cohort and 1,671 in the 4-year-old cohort) from 353 Head Start centers in the Head Start Impact Study, the only large-scale randomized experiment in Head Start history, this article examined the impact of Head Start on children's cognitive and parent-reported social-behavioral outcomes through first grade contingent on the child care arrangements used by children who were randomly assigned to the control group (i.e., parental care, relative/nonrelative care, another Head Start program, or other center-based care). A principal score matching approach was adopted to identify children assigned to Head Start who were similar to children in the control group with a specific care arrangement. Overall, the results showed that the effects of Head Start varied substantially contingent on the alternative child care arrangements. Compared with children in parental care and relative/nonrelative care, Head Start participants generally had better cognitive and parent-reported behavioral development, with some benefits of Head Start persisting through first grade; in contrast, few differences were found between Head Start and other center-based care. The results have implications regarding the children for whom Head Start is most beneficial as well as how well Head Start compares with other center-based programs.
Descriptors: Early Intervention, Disadvantaged Youth, Program Effectiveness, Cognitive Development, Young Children, Child Development, Parent Attitudes, Social Development, Child Behavior, Grade 1, Kindergarten, Early Childhood Education, Child Care, Control Groups, Experimental Groups, Comparative Analysis, Family Environment, Longitudinal Studies, Statistical Analysis
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 1; Primary Education; Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Kindergarten
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test; Child Behavior Checklist; Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A