Sustained effects of high participation in an early intervention for low-birth-weight premature infants

Dev Psychol. 2003 Jul;39(4):730-744. doi: 10.1037/0012-1649.39.4.730.

Abstract

Effects of high participation in the Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP), an 8-site randomized trial that targeted low-birth-weight (LBW) premature infants (N=1,082), were estimated. Children in the treatment group were offered high-quality center-based care in their 2nd and 3rd years of life (full-day care, 50 weeks per year). High-dosage effects were estimated with a new methodology that found a matched comparison group within the follow-up group for those with high participation rates; these estimates were compared with traditional intention-to-treat (ITT) estimates. At age 8, effects on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Full and Verbal scales for children who attended > 400 days ranged from 7 to 10 points. For the heavier LBW infants (2,001-2,500 g), the effects were about 14 points for > 400 days; for the lighter LBW infants (< or = 2,000 g), the effects were about 8 points. These effects were all substantially higher than corresponding ITT effects. Similar but smaller effects were found for children who attended > 350 days.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Birth Weight
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Early Intervention, Educational / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gestational Age
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Low Birth Weight / psychology*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature / psychology*
  • Intelligence / classification*
  • Language Development*
  • Male
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / statistics & numerical data
  • Socioeconomic Factors