|
http://www.researchforum.org/project_general_228.html |
|
|
Carolina Abecedarian Project
General Information
View a brief abstract of this project.
| Evaluator(s) |
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| Investigator(s) |
Frances Campbell
(Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center)
|
| Domain |
Child/Family |
| Status | Completed with continuing analysis |
| Duration | Jan 1972 - Jan 1987 |
| Type |
Research and/or Program Evaluation |
| Program/Policy Description |
The Carolina Abecedarian project was designed to study the impact of educational intervention in the lives of preschool-aged children from low-income families. An important goal of the project was to break the so-called "poverty cycle" by better preparing children for success in school--and eventually, life. For as many as eight years, children from birth to age 5 received an educational intervention; researchers measured cognitive achievement and other factors through a battery of standardized measures. Upon completion of the intervention, the children entered school ; they were studied and tested again at ages 12, 15 and 21 years. |
| Notes | Visit the project web site. |
| Last Updated | 06/01/05 |
| Type of Summary | Unreviewed |
| Contact(s) |
Loyd Little (loyd_little@unc.edu)
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 105 Smith Level Road (T) (919) 966-0867 (F) not reported |
| Submitter(s) |
Research Forum Staff (info@researchforum.org)
National Center for Children In Poverty 215 West 125th St, 3rd Fl (T) (646)284-9600 (F) not reported |
Populations Studied
| Target Population |
Children |
| Subgroups Analyzed |
Children 1-6 Children younger than 1 (infants) Children 7-18 |
| Sample Size and Unit |
The Carolina Abecedarian Project was designed as a randomized, controlled trial. The project began recruiting subjects in the summer of 1972, gathering a pool of 111 children and their families. The pool was divided into an experimental group of 57 children and a control group of 54 children. Both groups received nutritional supplements during the first years of life, and social service referrals when needed throughout the first eight years of life. The 57 infants and their families randomly assigned to the Experimental Group received a carefully monitored educational intervention for the first five years of life. These children received a year-round, all-day educational childcare/preschool program emphasizing the development of cognitive, language, and adaptive behavior skills. The 54 assigned to the control group received nutritional supplements in infancy and supportive social services. The control group, however, received no educational intervention. To test hypotheses about the educational intervention, researchers added a school-age treatment phase. Half of the children who received the five-year preschool intervention were randomly assigned to receive another 3 years of educational intervention. The other half was not treated during this period. Similarly, the original control group was randomly divided into school-age intervention and control groups. |
| Execution |
100% of both experimental and control groups at initial sample. Experimental group at age 8 and age 15 follow up: 48/57. Control group at age 8 follow-up: 42/54. Control group at age 15 follow-up: 44/54. Experimental group at age 21: 53/54. Control group at age 21: 51/54. |
Sites Studied
North CarolinaProgram Components, Policies, and Activities Evaluated
Educational activities
Social/Support services
| Variation in program components across sites? | No |
Outcomes Assessed
Child Outcomes
Types of Studies
| Type | Impact Study (Controlled Experiment) |
Data Sources
| Source | Developmental assessments/screenings |
Findings Available
Final Impact FindingsRecommendations
Existing Publications
| 01/01/98 | Carolina Abecedarian Project: Early-childhood programs and success in school: The Abecedarian Study, in Early Care and Education (SUNY Press) | FPG CDC |
| 01/01/98 | Carolina Abecedarian Project: Enhancing the life course for high-risk children: Results from the Abecedarian Project, in Social Programs that Work (Russell Sage Foundation Press) | FPG CDC |
| 12/01/02 | Carolina Abecedarian Project: A Benefit-Cost Analysis of the Abecedarian Early Childhood Intervention | NIEER |
|
|