A Prevention and Early Intervention Mental Health Program for Disadvantaged Pre-school Children

Abstract

In this study, 155 disadvantaged pre-school children, ages 3 to 6, were screened for developmental delays using the Cooperative Pre-school Inventory as the primary evaluation tool. Thirty-eight children participated in the experimental group and 20 children were designated the control group. Experimental group children received developmental therapy and their regular classroom experience. In addition, intervention was provided to parents and teachers in order to affect the child's total environment more positively. The control group received only classroom experience. Sixty-five percent of the control group passed the Cooperative Preschool Inventory per-test compared to 50 percent of the experimental group. On the Cooperative Preschool Inventory post-test, 100 percent of the experimental group passed, compared to only 85 percent of the control group. These results suggest that for disadvantaged children early intervention of developmental therapy and classroom experience help eliminate their developmental delays and provide them with age-appropriate developmental skills.

Multicultural trends and toys in play therapy.

“…Research suggests that play therapy within a school setting is effective with culturally diverse populations (Costantino et al, 1986; George, Braun, & Walker, 1982; Oualline, 1975; Siegel, 1970; Sokoloff, 1959; & Utay, 1991). Other settings for effective play therapy with culturally diverse clients include refugee camps (Kanyanagale & MacLachlan, 1995) and crisis settings, such as natural disasters (Shelby & Tredinnick, 1995).…”

Child-Centered Group Play Therapy with Children with Speech Difficulties.

“…Furthermore, the field of play therapy lends additional support for this hypothesis in the outcomes of research-based studies that show the child-centered play therapy approach results in improved speech (Bouillion, 1973; Irwin, 1974; Wakaba, 1983), enhanced self-concept (Cowden, 1992), and greater positive social interaction (George, Braun, & Walker, 1982). More specifically, the medium of group play therapy has been shown to address the linguistic, social, and emotional needs of young children (Irwin, 1972).…”

“…Researchers also suggest that play provides (a) opportunities for joint reference (Hubbell, 1981), (b) experiences that are of genuine interest to the child (Benjamin, 1984), and (c) a natural context for expression (Cogher, 1999) -the three most important environmental conditions for optimal language learning. Furthermore, the field of play therapy lends additional support for this hypothesis in the outcomes of research-based studies that show the child-centered play therapy approach results in improved speech (Bouillion, 1973;Irwin, 1974;Wakaba, 1983), enhanced self-concept (Cowden, 1992), and greater positive social interaction (George, Braun, & Walker, 1982). More specifically, the medium of group play therapy has been shown to address the linguistic, social, and emotional needs of young children (Irwin, 1972).…”

A Prevention Model for Occupational Therapy

“…It is instructive to outline some of the initiatives and support for prevention activities that have occurred in occupational therapy theory and practice over the past 20 years. There have been convincing arguments for the role of occupational therapy in health promotion and disease prevention and the need to move practice into the community (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 1979;Finn, 1973;Gilfoyle, 1988;Grossman, 1977;Jaffee, 1986;Johnson, 1985;Rider & White, 1986;West, 1968;Wiemer, 1972) Further support comes from the increasing number of empirical studies and prevention program descriptions in the literature (George, Braun, &Walker, 1982;Gill, Veigl, Shuster, & Notelovitz, 1984;Gonski & Miyake, 1985;Hamilton-Dodd, Kawamoto, Clarke, Burke, & Fanchiang, 1989;Kirchman, Reichenbach, & Giambalvo, 1982;Mungai, 1985;Szekais, 1985;White, 1986) Despite these examples, models of practice for prevention research and service provision are lacking. Such models can prOVide a theoretical basis for occupational therapy prevention services as well as meaningful collaboration With other human service providers.…”