Evaluation of an intervention program for families with children at risk for maltreatment and developmental impairment: a preliminary study

This study evaluated the preliminary effects of an early intervention program for parents and children at-risk. In this study, a sample of 40 children were randomly assigned to a 9-months intervention program (intervention group, n = 20) or remained in usual practice conditions (control group, n = 20). The intervention involved group dynamics with children in pre-school and individual work sessions with the parents and the children at home. A repeated measures design 2 x 2 was used to test the program effects on parenting practices (Maltreatment Questionnaire) and on children’s mental and social development (Griffiths Mental Development Scales). Results revealed that the program had a positive impact mostly on parenting practices, decreasing physical and psychological abuse (d = −1.01), physical neglect (d = −0.71) and lack of supervision (d = −0.48), and also on measures of cognitive development (i.e., hearing and language; d = 0.31). The program reinforces the importance and effectiveness of attunement intervention programs for parents and for children.