Research Foundations for Evidence-Informed Early Childhood Intervention Performance Checklists

Abstract

The research evidence for early childhood intervention practices performance checklists is described. Performance checklists include lists of the tasks or steps required to complete a practice competently. The checklists were developed using a conceptualization-operationalizationmeasurement framework where findings from research syntheses and empirical studies informed the selection or development of checklist indicators. This paper includes a meta-review of empirical evidence demonstrating practice-outcome relationships consistent with the purposes and goals of each of the performance checklists. Findings from more than 200 narrative reviews, meta-analyses, integrative reviews, and other types of research syntheses were the sources of evidence and foundations for 26 early childhood intervention performance checklists. The research evidence, taken together, indicates that the checklist indicators have a substantial evidence base for each of the performance checklist practices. Strengths and limitations of the meta-review are described.

Effect of Functional Progressive Resistance Exercise on Lower Extremity Structure, Muscle Tone, Dynamic Balance and Functional Ability in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

“…Many methods of muscle strengthening are recommended for children with CP, such as functional progressive resistance exercise (FPRE) [ 9 ], isokinetic training [ 10 ], bicycle and treadmill exercise [ 11 ], weight training [ 12 ], aquatic training [ 13 ], sports and recreation [ 14 ] and electrotherapy [ 15 ]. Until recently, strength training in children with CP was considered inappropriate, as it was believed to lead to increased spasticity or abnormal movement patterns.…”

Parent Perspectives of Desired and Experienced Child and Family Practices in the Early Elementary Grades

“…All three types of practices are considered best practices in the birth to age six early intervention and preschool years (Bailey & McWilliam, 1993;Odom & McLean, 1996). Those aspects of family-centered, individualized and developmentally appropriate, and integrated and coordinated practices examined in the study were ones for which there is both general consensus and/or agreement about the desirability of the practices for both children and families and an increasing amount of evidence for the benefits of the practices (e.g., Dunst, 2017;Dunst, Trivette, & Hamby, 2008;Farley, Brock, & Winterbottom, 2017;Odom, Buysse, & Soukakou, 2011). According to Bailey (1994), family-centered early intervention has four specific features and characteristics: "(1) Family support is a primary goal of any early intervention activity…, (2) each family has its own culture and unique set of strengths, values, skills, expectations, and service needs…, (3) families have a right and a responsibility to play a primary role in determining the nature and extent of services provided for themselves and their child…, and (4) to provide appropriate services for families, a coordinated system of services must be in place" (pp.…”

Developing Evidence-Informed Early Childhood Intervention E-Learning Lessons, Performance Checklists and Practice Guides

“…Early childhood intervention (ECI) refers to the learning activities, experiences, and opportunities used with young children birth to 6-years-of-age with or without developmental disabilities or delays and their families Sukkar et al, 2017). Exponential knowledge growth in ECI (Dunst, 2018a) has necessitated knowledge management and sharing in ways that increase ECI practitioner and family member adoption and use of evidence-informed ECI practices. Evidence-informed refers to the use of practice-based research evidence about the relationships between ECI practices and outcomes of interest to inform the content of ECI materials and products (Dunst, 2016;Nelson and Campbell, 2017).…”

“…The development of the e-learning lessons, performance checklists, and practice guides was based on research and practice informed by microlearning (Hug, 2016) evidence-based professional development (Dunst, 2015) evidence-based ECI practices (Dunst, 2017c) authentic e-learning experiences (Harrington et al, 2010) the role of deliberate practice in expert learning and performance (Ericsson, 2006) and best practices in e-learning lesson (Khan, 2005;Karagiannidis et al, 2014) and product (Lidwell et al, 2003) design. Table 1 shows the primary sources of information found most helpful in the design and development of e-learning lessons, performance checklists, and practice guides.…”

“…Figure 1 shows the relationship between the three ECI products and the fact that they overlap and are expected to have intended outcomes or benefits when used together to influence practitioner or family member understanding and use of evidence-informed ECI practices. Research evidence about the key characteristics of ECI practices was used to select or develop performance checklist indicators (Dunst, 2017c). Performance checklist indicators are, in turn, used to inform the content of the practices that are the focus of both e-learning lessons and practice guides (Dunst, 2017b).…”