SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
Outcome Evaluation of a Therapeutic Day Treatment Program for Delayed and Disturbed Preschoolers

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This report describes some findings of an outcome evaluation of a multifocused day treatment program for delayed and disturbed preschoolers. The sample consisted of 55 children, 3 to 6 years of age, attending a therapeutic preschool, and 45 nonclinical comparison children. A battery of objective developmental, behavioral, and clinical measures was administered at an initial test point, 8 to 9 months later, and for children in teh therapeutic preschool, at discharge. The results indicated that children with developmental delays and associated emotional and behavioral problems made the most gains, particularly those who initially had nonverbal IQ scores within the normal range. Gains were not observed among children who presented primarily with behavior problems. The results also suggest that intervention for delayed children needs to be prolonged and that the time required for gains to be observed depends on the area of functioning being considered and the child's initial developmental level.

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    This research was funded by grants from the Ontario Mental Health Foundation (Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services Lottery Fund) and the Laidlaw Foundation.

    The authors thank Mary Gale. Director of the Preschool Day Treatment Program, and her staff. Dr. Robert Carr. Director of the Preschool Assessment Service at the Hospital for Sick Children and for assistance in data collection and analysis. Paula Barkin. Jeanne Orsini, and Stan Hamstra.

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