An Inclusive Early Childhood Intervention Program for Children With Disabilities: Possible Effects on Children and Nursery Teachers.
Kimiko Ueda, Aya Goto, Toshikazu Imamoto and 1 others
PMID 36188849WHAT IT FOUND
Children with disabilities in inclusive nursery schools showed improved development and fewer emotional and peer problems after teachers used a structured behavioral support program for six months.
Teachers reported higher confidence and lower state anxiety. No control group was used, so natural maturation cannot be ruled out.
Key findings
01Children's developmental quotient and all KIDS subscales improved significantly after the six-month program.
02Teachers' general self-efficacy increased and state anxiety decreased after using the program.
03Children with larger baseline developmental delays or an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis showed greater gains in developmental quotient.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a one-group pre-post design with no control group, so it is impossible to determine whether the improvements were due to the program or normal child development and maturation over the six months. The sample size was small (48 children and 48 teachers), which limits the generalizability of the findings. Outcomes were rated by the same nursery teachers who delivered the intervention, introducing potential observer bias or overestimation of effects. The theoretical validation of the program was noted as insufficient by the authors. The study did not account for other concurrent interventions the children may have received outside the nursery school.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center, which developed the program.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the program caused the improvements. Because there was no control group, the gains in children's development and teacher confidence could be due to natural maturation, the passage of time, or the Hawthorne effect (participants changing behavior because they are being observed) rather than the specific intervention.