Tyler Sasser|Karen L. Bierman|Brenda S. Heinrichs|Robert L. Nix
Preschool Intervention Can Promote Sustained Growth in the Executive-Function Skills of Children Exhibiting Early Deficits
Seattle Children's Hospital|Pennsylvania State University|Pennsylvania State University|University of Wisconsin–Madison
study examined effects head start researchbased developmentally informed redi preschool intervention growth childrens executivefunction ef skills preschool third grade across 25 head start centers 44 classrooms randomly assigned either intervention group received enhanced socialemotional languageliteracy components usualpractice control group fouryearold children n 356 25 african american 17 latino 58 european american 54 girls followed 5 years ef skills assessed annually latentclass growth analysis identified high moderate low developmental ef trajectories children low ef trajectories intervention improved ef scores third grade significantly 058 control group children received intervention also demonstrated better academic outcomes third grade children poverty often delays ef development enriching head start program evidencebased curriculum teaching strategies reduce early deficits thereby facilitate school success