This paper reviews research and evaluation results which indicate the effectiveness of Head Start. Research concerning the effects of Head Start on the academic achievement and cognitive and social functioning of children is summarized briefly, and research on the impact of medical, dental, and nutritional services made available by Head Start is…

The study investigated the outcomes of two intervention programs for 60 male juvenile offenders (aged 13-17 years). Group I (30 Ss) were placed at a correctional camp facility modeled after the Outward Bound program, which incorporates a particular treatment concept designed to increase self esteem. Group II participants (30 Ss) were placed on…

Described is a program for autistic children, and presented are educational case studies of 13 children (6-9 years old). The program is explained to provide individualized instruction based on assessment using the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, B. Ruttenberg and E. Wolf's Vocalization and Expressive Speech Development Scale, L. Lee's…

This study was designed to assess the relative effectiveness of one available guidance program at the elementary level, Developing Understanding of Self and Others (DUSO). The program is appropriate for young children, ages 5 through 8, and attempts through listening, inquiry, discussion, and role playing to help children better understand…

Early evidence from an evaluation of the Child and Family Resource Program (a Head Start demonstration) suggests that this program influences parent-child interaction in ways that promote children's social and cognitive development. (Author)

Staff at a Louisville, Kentucky, school have created a caring community of learners whose members feel valued, personally interconnected, and committed to everyone's growth and learning. Child Development Project schools emphasize warm, supportive, and stable relationships; constructive learning; intrinsic motivation; a challenging curriculum; and…

This review of Head Start literature evaluates long-term effects of Head Start on students' overall academic success. Research bears out the idea that Project Head Start has strong immediate effects on the cognitive and socioemotional development of young children. (RJC)

The article describes a multifaceted intervention program based on social cognitive theory which was used with six boys, ages six to eight, with antisocial, aggressive tendencies. The intervention addressed cognitive/affective variables, behavioral factors, and environmental conditions. Evaluation indicated the program was effective, and it has…

Assessment instruments that are not responsive to change are unsuitable as outcome tools in cardiac rehabilitation because they underestimate the psychosocial benefits of program attendance. Nine questionnaires were assessed for responsiveness with the standardized response mean (SRM). Questionnaires were allocated into 3 batteries, and each…

Environmental education (EE) programs that include service-learning components have great potential to positively impact East African youth, their communities, and their ecology. This exploratory study describes 2 programs in East Africa, The Jane Goodall Institute's Roots & Shoots (R&S) and Wildlife Clubs of Uganda (WCU). The authors…

Raising Healthy Children (RHC) is a preventive intervention designed to promote positive youth development by targeting developmentally appropriate risk and protective factors. In this study, the authors tested the efficacy of the RHC intervention on reducing adolescent alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette use. Ten public schools, which comprised 959…

This study examined the effects of looping teachers' remaining with a core group of children for multiple years in a preschool program for at-risk children. The sample consisted of 59 4-year-old children who had the same teacher for two years and 167 4-year-old children who had a different teacher for each year of preschool. Student progress on…

This paper describes a nurture group pilot project that took place in three schools in Hampshire. Results suggested that children in the nurture groups made significant social and emotional gains after attending a group. These gains were recognised by the children themselves and their parents. They were also generalised into the classroom.…

A longitudinal study was conducted on 34 children with autism to evaluate the usefulness of the Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) program for Chinese pre-school children in Hong Kong. Eighteen children received full-time center-based TEACCH program training. The control group included 16…

This article describes a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in a large urban, co-educational secondary school. The project focused on two senior pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who, seemingly as a result of feeling stressed or anxious, displayed behaviours that inhibited communication. Using questionnaires,…