Efficacy Trial of the Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program for Children With Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Problems

NCT01593189 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: R324A080026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 209
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study focuses on children entering kindergarten with co-occurring developmental disabilities and behavior problems, a population especially likely to have low levels of school readiness. Prior research has shown that children with developmental disabilities are at risk for academic difficulties. Behavioral and social problems are likely to interfere with school adjustment. The investigators hypothesize that children who receive the intervention will show better school readiness and school adjustment outcomes.

Conditions

School Readiness

Keywords

developmental disabilities; school readiness; literacy; social emotional skills; self regulation; caregiver involvement

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Change in caregiver involvement from baseline to kindergarten entry

  Caregiver reported involvement in early literacy activities and beliefs about the importance of various literacy skills for kindergarten

  pre-intervention (baseline), pre-kindergarten ( approximately 2 months post-baseline)

• Change in early literacy skills from baseline to kindergarten entry

  Standardized measures of early literacy skills including letter naming, phonological awareness and understanding of concepts about print

  pre-intervention (baseline), pre-kindergarten ( approximately 2 months post-baseline)

• Change in social skills from baseline to kindergarten entry

  Standardized direct assessments of the child's responses to social situations as well as parent responses to standardized questionnaires on children's social skills

  pre-intervention (baseline), pre-kindergarten ( approximately 2 months post-baseline)

• Change in regulatory skills from baseline to kindergarten entry

  Standardized direct assessment of the children's executive function skills as well as parent report on standardized questionnaires used to assess emotion and behavior regulation

  pre-intervention (baseline), pre-kindergarten ( approximately 2 months post-baseline)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Longitudinal academic achievement across grade levels

  post-kindergarten (approximately 1 year post-baseline), post 1st grade (approximately 2 years post-baseline)

• Longitudinal social competence across grade levels

  post-kindergarten (approximately 1 year post-baseline), post 1st grade (approximately 2 years post-baseline)

Study Arms (2)

KITS Program

EXPERIMENTAL

The KITS intervention consists of: (a) child school readiness play groups to facilitate the development of self-regulatory, social, and early literacy skills (2 times per week in summer, 1 times per week in the fall); and (b) a bi-monthly psychoeducational support group to promote parent involvement in the child's early literacy and schooling and the use of effective parenting techniques

Behavioral: KITS Program

Services as usual

NO INTERVENTION

Families continued to receive any services that they had been receiving in the community.

Interventions

KITS Program BEHAVIORAL

This is a 4-month psychosocial intervention for children with developmental disabilities and behavior problems who are entering kindergarten and their caregivers. The intervention begins in the summer before kindergarten. The KITS intervention consists of: (a) child school readiness play groups to facilitate the development of self-regulatory, social, and early literacy skills (2 times per week in summer, 1 times per week in the fall); and (b) a bi-monthly psychoeducational support group to promote parent involvement in the child's early literacy and schooling and the use of effective parenting techniques

Also known as: Kids in Transition to School (KITS) Program

KITS Program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 4 Years - 6 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Received early childhood special education services
• Judged to have behavioral problems that would interfere with the transition to kindergarten
• Entering kindergarten in the fall of the year in which recruited into the study

You may not qualify if:

• Mono-lingual Spanish speaker
• Severe visual, hearing or physical impairment that would prevent the child from completing the assessment tasks or participating in the intervention

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Oregon Social Learning Center: lead
• U.S. Department of Education: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Oregon Social Learning Center

Eugene, Oregon, 97401, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Pears KC, Fisher PA, Heywood CV, Bronz KD. Promoting school readiness in foster children. In: Saracho ON, Spodek B, eds. Contemporary Perspectives on Social Learning in Early Childhood Education Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing; 2007:173-198.

  BACKGROUND

• Pears KC, Kim HK, Healey CV, Yoerger K, Fisher PA. Improving child self-regulation and parenting in families of pre-kindergarten children with developmental disabilities and behavioral difficulties. Prev Sci. 2015 Feb;16(2):222-32. doi: 10.1007/s11121-014-0482-2.

  PMID: 24676874 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Oregon Social Learning Center web site

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Developmental Disabilities; Literacy; Self-Control

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Communication; Behavior; Social Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Scientist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 2, 2012
• First Posted: May 8, 2012
• Study Start: April 1, 2008
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2013
• Study Completion: March 1, 2013
• Last Updated: October 15, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-10

Locations

US (1)