Longitudinal Effects of Extended Early Childhood Intervention

描述(由申请者提供)：这项研究将调查芝加哥纵向研究(CLS)中一大批市中心儿童在35岁之前参与持续的、由联邦政府资助的儿童干预措施与幸福感之间的联系。主要目的是确定参加亲子中心(CPC)早期教育计划的不同时间是否与26至30年后更好的健康和福祉有关。与服务的高强度和全面性相一致，将为参与者及其家人调查一套全面的措施，直至中年早期。这些因素包括经济自给自足、事业成功和职业地位；身体健康和健康行为；精神健康、心理健康和生活质量；教育程度；社会行为和犯罪；以及家庭幸福，包括父母养育和学校教育对参与者子女的影响。主要问题如下：(A)从学龄前开始参与CPC计划是否与人生第四个十年在多个领域的更大幸福感有关？(B)除了不太广泛的干预外，参加从3岁到9岁的CPC扩展干预是否有助于成人的福祉？(C)干预通过什么机制影响不同亚群的福祉？(D)干预的相对经济利益是什么？长期目标包括增加关于早期干预在各种结果中的长期和复杂影响的知识，并将研究结果和原则转化为促进可持续计划和服务的原则。研究样本包括911个项目(占原始样本的92%)和492个匹配的对照组(占原始样本的90%)，他们从3岁开始参加长达6年的干预。样本中93%是非裔美国人。参与者从出生起就被跟踪调查，并从许多来源收集了有关儿童、家庭和学校经历的广泛数据。在未来五年，我们将从就业和收入、教育、司法系统、公共援助和卫生、社会服务记录以及对参与者的31/32岁访谈中收集、获取和分析一套全面的新数据；分析来自多个来源和时间段的现有数据；并将继续跟踪生命过程的发展。这项研究不仅是最广泛的公共早期干预，而且是对资源的有效利用，以促进关于生命历程和代际影响的知识。调查结果将提供现有的关于以学校为基础的早期儿童干预措施的效果和成本效益的最佳知识。 公共卫生相关性：持续的儿童早期计划的长期效果和成本效益是儿童发展和政策研究的主要重点。通过收集和分析一套全面的35岁以下幸福感指标的数据，将充分了解以学校为基础的密集亲子中心计划的好处。研究结果将被用来加强对早期教育的投资，并更好地了解不同生命过程结果的影响过程。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study will investigate the links between participation in a sustained, federally-funded early childhood intervention and well-being up to age 35 for a large inner-city cohort of children in the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS). The central purpose is to determine if participation in the Child-Parent Center (CPC) Early Education Program for different lengths of time is associated with better health and well-being 26 to 30 years later. Consistent with the high intensity and comprehensiveness of services, a comprehensive set of measures will be investigated to early midlife for participants and their families. These include economic self-sufficiency, career success, and occupational status; physical health and health behaviors; mental health, psychological well-being, and quality of life; educational attainment; social behavior and criminality; and family well-being including parenting and schooling effects on the children of participants. Among the primary questions are the following: (a) Is participation in the CPC program beginning in preschool associated with greater well-being in multiple domains in the fourth decade of life? (b) Does participation in the CPC extended intervention from ages 3 to 9 contribute to adult well-being above and beyond less extensive intervention?, (c) What are the mechanisms through which intervention affects well-being and for different subgroups?, and (d) What are the comparative economic benefits of intervention? The long-term goals include to increase knowledge about the long-run and complex effects of early intervention across a wide range of outcomes and to translate research finding and principles for the promotion of sustained programs and services. The study sample includes 911 program (92% of original sample) and 492 matched comparison group (90% of original sample) participants who enrolled for up to 6 years of intervention beginning at age 3. 93% of the sample are African American. Participants have been followed since birth and extensive data on child, family, and school experiences have been collected from many sources. In the next five years, we will collect, obtain, and analyze a comprehensive set of new data from employment and income, educational, justice system, public aid and health, social-service records, and from the age-31/32 interview of participants; analyze existing data from multiple sources and time periods; and will continue to track life-course development. This study is not only the most extensive of a public early intervention but an efficient use of resources for advancing knowledge on life course and intergenerational impacts. Findings will provide among the best available knowledge of the effects and cost-effectiveness of an established school-based early childhood intervention. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The long-term effects and cost-effectiveness of sustained early childhood programs are a major focus of child development and policy research. By collecting and analyzing data on a comprehensive set of indicators of well-being up to age 35, the benefits of the intensive school-based Child-Parent Center program will be fully understood. Findings will be used to strengthen investments in early education and to better understand the processes of impact for different life course outcomes.