Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Enhancing the Parenting Skills of Head Start Families during the Transition to Kindergarten

  • Published:
Prevention Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Head Start centers provide an excellent context for the implementation and success of family-based interventions, particularly home visiting. Based on a developmental–ecological model, a universal family-centered intervention was implemented with Head Start families. Outcome data from this parenting and home visiting program is presented (Project STAR: Steps to Achieving Resilience). Results suggest that both parenting groups and home visiting interventions are effective at enhancing parenting skills: however, home visiting programs have a higher participation rate. Additionally, home visiting by familiar staff was particularly successful at improving parenting skills at follow-up. Results suggest that embedding targeted interventions in universal strategies can be an effective means of engaging families in services. The results have implications for service delivery methods in early childhood as a means of enhancing parent participation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Bierman, K. L., & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (1997). Implementing a comprehensive program for the prevention of conduct problems in rural communities: The FASTTrack experience. American Journal of Community Psychology, 25, 493–514.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brody, G. H., Stoneman, Z., & McCoy, J. K. (1994). Contributions of protective and risk factors to literacy and socioemotional competency in former Head Start children attending kindergarten.Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 9, 407–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and by design. Cambridge, UK: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burchinal, M. R., Campbell, F. A., Bryant, D., Wasik, B. H., & Ramey, C. T. (1997). Early intervention and mediating processes in cognitive performance of children of low-income African-American families. Child Development, 68, 935–954.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B. (1991). Behavior problems in preschool children: Clinical and developmental issues. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, S. B., & Ewing, L. J. (1990). Follow-up of hard to manage preschoolers: Adjustment at age 9 and predictors of continuing symptoms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 871–889.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capaldi, D. M., & Patterson, G. R. (1989). Psychometric properties of fourteen latent constructs from the OregonYouth Study. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., Watt, N. F., West, S. G., Hawkins, J. D., Asarnow, J. R., Markman, H. J., Ramey, S. L., Shure, M. B., & Long, B. (1993).The science of prevention:Aconceptual framework and some directions for a national research program. American Psychologist, 48, 1012–1022.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (1992). A developmental and clinical model for the prevention of conduct disorders: The FAST Track program. Development and Psychopathology, 4, 509–527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (1999). Technical reports for the FAST Track assessment battery. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Conger, R. D., & Elder, G. H. (1994). Families in troubled times: Adapting to change in rural America. Hillsdale, NJ: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crnic, K. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (1990). Minor parenting stress with young children. Child Development, 61, 1628–1637.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dishion, T. J., & Kavanagh, K. (in press). Adolescent problem behavior: A family-centered intervention and assessment sourcebook.New York: Guilford Press.

  • Entwisle, D. R., & Alexander, K. L. (1998). Facilitating the transition to first grade: The nature of transition and research on factors affecting it. The Elementary School Journal, 98, 351–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forehand, R., & McMahon, R. J. (1981). Helping the noncompliant child:Aclinician's guide to parent training.NewYork: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, M. T., & Speltz, M. L. (1988). Contributions of attachment theory to the understanding of conduct problems during the preschool years. In J. Belsky & T. Nezworski (Eds.), Clinical implications of attachment (pp. 177–218). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young american children. Baltimore: Paul Brookes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinicke, C. M., Fineman, N. R., Ruth, G., Recchia, S. L., Guthrie, D., & Rodning, C. (1999). Relationship-based intervention with at-risk mothers: Outcomes in the first year of life. Infant Mental Health Journal, 20, 349–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaminski, R., & Stormshak, E. A. (in press). Early intervention for the prevention of substance abuse in preschool children. In P. Tolan, J. Szcopoznik, & S. Sambrano (Eds.), Preventing substance abuse ages 3-14.

  • Kaminski, R. A., Stormshak, E., Good, R. H., & Goodman, M. (in press). Outcomes from Project STAR: Preventing later substance abuse in preschool children. Journal of Addictive Behavior.

  • Keenan, K., & Shaw, D. S. (1994). The development of aggression in toddlers:Astudy of low-income families. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 22, 53–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Korfmacher, J., Kitzman, H., & Olds, D. (1998). Intervention processes as predictors of outcomes in preventive home visitation programs. Journal of Community Psychology, 26, 49–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • LaFreniere, P. J., & Dumas, J. E., (1996). Social competence and behavior evaluation in children ages 3 to 6: The short form (SCBE-30). Psychological Assessment, 8, 369–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamb-Parker, F., Boak, A. Y., Griffin, K.W., Ripple, C., & Peay, L. (1999). Parent-child relationship, home learning environment, and school readiness. School Psychology Review, 28, 413–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamb-Parker, F., Piotrkowski, C. S., Baker, A. J., Kessler, S., Clark, B., & Peay, L. (2001). Understanding barriers to parent involvement in Head Start: A research-community partnership. Early Chilhood Research Quarterly, 16, 35–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landesman, S., & Ramey, C. T. (1989). Developmental psychology and mental retardation: Integrating scientific principles with treatment practices. American Psychologist, 44, 409–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, V. E., & Loeb, S. (1995). Where do Head Start attendees end up? One reason why preschool effects fade out. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 17, 62–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., Wung, P., Keenan, K., Giroux, B., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., Van Kammen, W. B., & Maughan, B. (1993). Developmental pathways in disruptive child behavior. Development and Psychopathology, 5, 103–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council (1998). Preventing reading difficulties in young children.Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olds, D., Henderson, C. R., Cole, R., Echenrode, J., Kitzman, H., Luckey, D., Pettit, L., Sidora, K., Morris, P., & Powers, J. (1998). Long-term effects of nurse home visitation on children's criminal and antisocial behavior: 15-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 280, 1238–1244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olds, D. L., Henderson, C. R., Harriet, J. K., Eckenrode, J. J., Cole, R. E., & Tatelbaum, R. C. (1999). Prenatal and infancy home visitation by nurses: Recent findings. The Future of Children, 9, 44–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oregon Social Learning Center (1992). Discipline Questionniare. Technical report for OSLC. Unpublished manuscript.

  • Patterson, G. R., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (1984). The correlation of family management practices and delinquency. Child Development, 55, 1299–1307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petit, G. S., Bates, J. E., & Dodge, K. A. (1993). Family interaction patterns and children's conduct problems at home and school:Alongitudinal perspective. School Psychology Review, 22, 403–420.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. (1977). The CES-D Scale:Aself-report depression scale for research in the general population. Journal of Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Serketich, W. J., & Dumas, J. E. (1996). The effectiveness of behavioral parent training to modify antisocial behavior in children: A meta-analysis. Behavior Therapy, 27, 171–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, A. (1992). Falling by the wayside: Children in rural America. Washington, DC: Children's Defense Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slaughter-Defoe, D. T. (1993). Home visiting with families in poverty: Introducing the concept of culture. The Future of Our Children, 3, 172–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spoth, R., & Redmond, C. (1994). Effective recruitment of parents into family-focused prevention research:Acomparison of two strategies. Psychology and Health: An International Journal, 9, 353–370.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoolmiller, M., Duncan, T., Bank, L., & Patterson,G. (1993). Some problems and solutions in the study of change: Significant patterns of client resistance. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 920–928.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stormshak, E. A., Bierman, K. L., McMahon, R. J., Lengua, L., & The Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group (2000). Parenting practices and child disruptive behavior problems in early elementary school. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29, 17–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strayhorn, J. M., & Weidman, C. S. (1988). Aparent practices scale and its relation to parent and child mental health. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 613–618

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasik, B. H., Bryant, D. M., & Lyons, C.M. (1990). Home-visiting: Procedures for helping families. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, F. D. (1998). The dose-effect relationship in family therapy for conduct disordered youth. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon.

  • Webster-Stratton, C. (1990). Long-term follow-up of families with young conduct problem children: From preschool to grade school. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 1344–1349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C. (1994). Advancing videotape parent training: A comparison study. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 583–593.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C. (1998). Preventing conduct problems in Head Start children: Strengthening parenting competencies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 715–730.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C., & Hammond, M. (1990). Predictors of treatment outcome in parent training for families with conduct problem children. Behavior Therapy, 21, 319–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C., Reid, J., & Hammond, M. (2001). Preventing conduct problems, promoting social competence:Aparent and teacher training partnership in Head Start. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 282–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weissberg, R. P., & Greenberg, M. T. (1998). Prevention science and collaborative community action research: Combining the best from both perspectives. Journal of Mental Health, 7, 479–492.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Counseling Psychology Program, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon

    Elizabeth A. Stormshak & Matthew R. Goodman

  2. School Psychology Program, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon

    Ruth A. Kaminski

Authors
  1. Elizabeth A. Stormshak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ruth A. Kaminski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Matthew R. Goodman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stormshak, E.A., Kaminski, R.A. & Goodman, M.R. Enhancing the Parenting Skills of Head Start Families during the Transition to Kindergarten. Prev Sci 3, 223–234 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019998601210

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019998601210

Search

Navigation