Effects of two interventions with primary caregivers on the cognitive development of children at risk and in multidimensional poverty.

Abstract

Millions of children under five years old do not reach their development potential due to differences in socioeconomic conditions and few interactions in the home. However, research in developed countries shows that parental developmental monitoring and sharing picture books benefit children’s cognitive and linguistic development. This study analyzes the effect of two training programs for primary caregivers of children between 2 and 5 years old in Colombia: one in Dialogical book-sharing (DBS) and the other in using a developmental monitoring booklet (CARE). Sixty-three families from Bogotá (Colombia) with their children participated (M = 43.4 months, SD = 6.6). The interventions consisted of specific training for caregivers for six weeks. The data collected corresponded to the pre (before the intervention) and post (at the end of the intervention) moments of delays (delays) and alerts using a monitoring tool (Haizea-Llevant Table). The results indicate that children of CARE and DBS intervention groups showed significantly lower levels of delays in the areas of socialization H (2) = 7.76, p = .02, and language and logical-mathematical reasoning, H (2) = 6.68, p = .03. In conclusion, both programs proved to be relatively short interventions with benefits in the development of the participants.

Millones de niños menores de 5 años no alcanzan su potencial de desarrollo por diferencias en condiciones socioeconómicas y pocas interacciones en el hogar. Investigaciones en países desarrollados muestran que tanto el monitoreo parental del desarrollo, como compartir libros ilustrados son estrategias que benefician el desarrollo cognitivo. Este estudio analiza en Colombia el efecto de dos programas de entrenamiento para cuidadores principales de niños entre 2 y 5 años: uno en compartir libros ilustrados (DBS) y otro en el uso de una cartilla de monitoreo del desarrollo (CARE). Participan 63 familias colombianas con sus hijos (M= 43.4 meses, DS =6,6). Las intervenciones consistieron en entrenamiento específico a cuidadores durante 6 semanas. Los datos recogidos correspondieron a los momentos de pre (antes de la intervención) y post (al terminar la intervención) de delays (retrasos) y alertas usando una herramienta de monitoreo. Los resultados indican que los niños del grupo de CARE y DBS mostraron niveles significativamente menores de delays en las áreas de socialización H(2) = 7.76, p = .02, y de lenguaje y razonamiento lógico-matemático, H(2) = 6.68, p = .03. Se concluye que ambos programas son intervenciones cortas con beneficios en el desarrollo de los participantes.