Early Intervention Service Intensity and Change in Children's Functional Capabilities.
Zachary S Richardson, Elizabeth A Scully, Jodi K Dooling-Litfin and 4 others
PMID 31778660WHAT IT FOUND
Children receiving 2 or more hours of early intervention services per month showed greater gains in social-emotional and cognitive capabilities than those receiving less than 2 hours.
Older children at entry also demonstrated larger functional improvements.
Key findings
01Compared to children receiving less than 2 hours of EI services per month, those receiving 2-3, 3-4, or more than 4 hours per month demonstrated greater gain in social-emotional capabilities by discharge.
02Compared to children receiving less than 2 hours of EI services per month, those receiving 2-3 or 3-4 hours per month demonstrated greater cognitive gains at discharge.
03There were no differences in the amount of change in adaptive capabilities by EI service intensity or across child characteristics.
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 single EI program in Colorado, so results may not generalize to other states with different eligibility criteria or service delivery models. Data were limited to service intensity (hours) rather than service quality or the specific content of the interventions. The analysis included only a subsample of children with complete Child Outcomes Summary (COS) data, potentially introducing selection bias, although no significant differences were found between those with and without complete data on measured characteristics. The adaptive domain of the COS scale has fewer items and is broader in scope, which may affect the sensitivity of the measure to detect changes in motor or self-care capabilities.
Declared interests
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that increasing service hours will improve motor or self-care skills, as the study found no significant association between service intensity and changes in adaptive capabilities.