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The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention has initiated Legacy for Children™,
a set of longitudinal, randomized, controlled studies examining the
potential for improving child developmental outcomes through parenting
programs designed to promote self-efficacy and a sense of community.
Every
Child Deserves a Chance
All children should have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Legacy for Children™ endeavors to promote optimal child outcomes
by improving child development through promoting self-efficacy in
parents. Parental self-efficacy helps parents understand that their
behavior can positively influence the development of their children and
give them the chance they truly deserve.
A Community That Cares
Parents do a better job of adopting and maintaining behaviors that enhance
their child's development if they receive support for these behaviors
from a peer group and have a sense of belonging to a community larger
than themselves.
A Wise Investment
Investing in our children is investing in our future. Early childhood
investment can reduce social costs, both tangible costs such as special
education, foster care, welfare, medical care, law enforcement, social
security and social services, and intangible costs such as physical and
emotional pain experienced by children with developmental delays and
their families.
Legacy for Children™
Research question
The primary research question for Legacy for Children™ is "do
children in the parenting intervention groups achieve better
developmental outcomes than do the children in the comparison groups?"
Theoretical Foundation & Legacy Philosophy
The early years of life (birth to age 5 years) are crucial in a child's
development. Parents play a critical role in their children's
development and are responsible for the environment in which they grow
up. Past research shows that the personal characteristics of successful
children consistently correlate to parental influences and behavior.
Thus, the basis for the theoretical foundation is that parents can
positively influence their child's development.
Research Design
Legacy has both a pilot phase and a main study phase. There are 180
intervention and 120 comparison families in the main study phase and 60
of each in the pilot phase at each study site, Miami and Los Angeles.
The 720 participating families are those whose children, on average,
would be expected to fall below national norms on a range of
developmental outcomes. Process, cost, and short- and long-term outcome
data are being collected.
Research Activities
Intervention activities are designed to enhance sensitive and responsive
parenting, parent/child interaction, and promote a sense of community.
Other activities include verbal and cognitive stimulation through parent
and parent/child group meetings, visits to the home, and participation
in community events.
The Future of Our Children
Legacy's desired long-term outcome is that children will have the capacity
to be self-supporting and emotionally healthy in order to lead
productive lives, and to become productive citizens.