The Carnegie Corporation Evaluation of the Parent Child Education Program
An extensive scientific evaluation funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York in 1987 has provided strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of the AVANCE Parent Child Education Program. Two annual cohorts were followed for two years at two program sites. Control groups which were randomly assigned at one site and matched at the second site were also employed. Upon completion of the program and then again one year later, data was collected concerning maternal knowledge, behavior, attitudes and continuing education with both groups.
Population Characteristics of the Study Participants
The high risk population which AVANCE serves resides in economically impoverished neighborhoods. The participating families in the study were characterized by:
- Hispanic Ethnicity
- Economic Poverty
- School Dropout
- Single Parenthood
- Elevated Depressed Mood
- Participation in Public Assistance Programs
Major Findings of the Study
AVANCE program mothers were observed to:
- Provide a more organized, stimulating & responsive home environment
- Provide more developmentally appropriate toys
- Be more positive in interacting with child
- Initiated more social interactions with child
- Use more contingent praise with child
- Spend more time teaching child
- Talk more with child
- Use more developmentally appropriate speech with child
- Be more encouraging of child verbalizations
Program mother-child dyadic interaction was marked by:
- Enhanced mutual enjoyment of the activity
- Mutual responsively & turn-taking
- Participation in joint rather than parallel activities
AVANCE program mothers reported:
- More nurturing attitudes towards child
- More opposition to physical punishment
- Enhanced view of self as child’s teacher
- Increased sense of parental efficacy
- Increased parental knowledge and skills
- Increased knowledge & use of community resources
- Increased knowledge of contraceptive methods
Continuing Education
Upon graduation from the parent education program, a significant number of program participants elected to pursue higher education by enrolling in continuing education classes.
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