Background Emotional knowledge and regulation

1. ECED 585 Presented by Keira Xiao YangAccelerating the development of emotion competence in Head Start children: Effects on adaptive and maladaptive behaviorIzard, C., King, K. A., Trentacosta, C. J., Morgan, J. K., Laurenceau, J. P., Krauthamer- Ewing, E. S., & Finlon, K. J. (2008). Background Emotional knowledge and regulation related positively to both social and academic competence influenced adversely by socioeconomic status but not ethnicity Social-Emotional development in low-income families Emotion-based prevention program （EBP） Emotions Course (EC) Teachers fidelity checks + consultations meeting Parents meeting and weekly messages from teachers Purpose of this study : 1. Assess the effect of EBP 2. Search for causal processes in behavior change

2. Research Paradigm • Quantitative • Quasi-Experimental • Cluster randomized design • Participants3-5 years old; Head Start children; diverse ethnics; • ProceduresTeachers training; 20-week intervention; Pre & Postassessment; statistics analysis • Study 1rural area; 9 treatment groups (EBP) VS 7 control groups (Head Start) Study 2 urban area; 15 treatment groups (EBP) VS 11 control groups ( ICPS) • Measures Children measures (PPVT-III, EMT, GATSB); Teacher measures (ERC, EERS, C-TRF, PCQ; ASBI); Research assistant independent observation. (Cronbach’s alpha values were generally bigger than 0.7) • Statistical methods Correlation + Hierarchical liner modeling (Regression)

3. Key findings • Hypothesis 1EBP would increase emotional knowledge • Hypothesis 2EBP would increase emotional regulation • Hypothesis 3EBP would increase adaptive behavior and decrease maladaptive behavior • Teacher fidelity, parent participant, child age, and child gender may moderate the effects of EBP Results • Compared to a control condition (HS or ICPS), EBP increased emotional knowledge and emotional regulation. • EBP also had favorable effects on behavioral outcomes; however, the effects of EBP on adaptive behavior changes must be considered tentative. • Better teaching EBP experience and teacher fidelity resulted in better gains. • Better parents involvement resulted in higher rating in emotion regulation (study 2). • Child age workedas possible moderator for social competence. • Child gender was not a significant moderator of any outcome. • Causal processes in the EBP intervention were also addressed.

4. Research strengths and weaknesses Strengths Weaknesses The results were inconclusive as to whether the finds regarding a lack of positive outcomes reflected Weakness in the EBP (developmentally appropriate; language; low parents involvement) Measurement problem (the choice of measurements) Design fault (pretest differences occurred; different measures across the two studies; Cluster randomized design) Program evaluation study might be done by program developer. • EBP effect sizes fell into the medium to large range • Study 1 used an independent observer measure in data collection. • Studied not only the program effectiveness but also some moderate factors and the causal processes • Study 2 uniquely compared EBP with an empirically supported intervention (ICPS) • Many inspirations for further studies