A meta‐analysis of home visiting programs: Moderators of improvements in maternal behavior

Abstract

A meta-analysis of home visiting programs for at-risk families (K = 35, N = 6,453) examined differences in the effects of programs on maternal behavior. On average, programs with more frequent visitation had higher success rates. The frequency of home visits explained significant variance of effect sizes among studies in the United States, with two visits per month predicting a small, substantive effect. Intensive programs or programs with at least three visits per month were more than twice as effective as were less intensive programs. Home visiting programs using nurses or mental health professionals as providers were not significantly more effective than were programs using paraprofessionals. In general, programs showed a positive effect on maternal behavior, but programs with frequent home visits were more successful.

The added impact of parenting education in early childhood education programs: A meta-analysis

“…In two meta-analyses of home visiting programs, high-frequency home visiting (two or more visits a month) has been shown to produce significantly larger effect sizes on both parenting behaviors and children's cognitive skills than lower-frequency home visiting (Sweet & Appelbaum, 2004;Nievar, Van Egeren, & Pollard, 2010). These meta-analyses, however, did not distinguish between home visiting programs that were provided in combination with ECE and those that were not.…”

Die besten Absichten zu haben ist notwendig, aber nicht hinreichend – Qualitätsdimensionen in den Frühen Hilfen

“…B. Kindler, 2009 (Olds et al, 2002). Metaanalytische Befunde sind inkonsistent (Nievar et al, 2010), daher scheint es insgesamt ratsam, die Wahl zwischen ehrenamtlichen und professionellen Modellen an Umfang und Komplexität der Intervention zu orientieren. Im Zusammenspiel mit den Elementen Fortbildung und Fachberatung muss abgestimmt sein, welche Kompetenzen und Eigenschaften die Fachkräfte mitbringen müssen und welche sie im Rahmen ihrer Tätigkeit erwerben.…”

Supporting depressed mothers at home: their views on an innovative relationship-based intervention

“…NSW Health 2009;Children Youth and Families Division 2010). Home visiting programs are used in many countries to provide supportive and therapeutic interventions for families with young children who are identified as having substantial risk factors (Nievar, Van Egeren & Pollard 2010). These risk factors often have a compromising effect on the ability to appropriately parent (Dixon, Browne & Hamilton-Giachritsis 2009).…”