Attributes of Effective Head Start Mental Health Consultants: A Multilevel Study of Rural and Urban Programs

A multilevel analysis of consultant attributes that contribute to effective mental health consultation services

“…While these findings were not statistically significant, there was evidence of a trend; therefore, MHC support and supervision may be important for further study. The current study, relying on a few self‐reported items, may have underestimated the true importance of support and supervision for effective ECMHC (Allen, 2009; Duran et al, 2009). Further, the sample size for MHCs was relatively small, and thus may have contributed to the inability to achieve statistically significant findings in this domain The effect of this limited statistical power may have contributed more generally to the lack of significant findings in this study, especially since the study aimed to predict effects across different reporters, a point discussed further in the next section.…”

“…While these findings were not statistically significant, the associated trend warrants further study. Allen (2009) found in her qualitative study that MHCs working in Head Start settings report feeling isolated and disconnected from the support of other consultants. Findings from the present study suggest that this may reduce their effectiveness.…”

“…Five remaining subscales (Knowledge and Experience With Head Start; Relationships With Families; Relationships With Staff; Training, Supervision, and Support; Knowledge of ECMH Best Practices) were retained for analysis, and they each demonstrated adequate reliability. Construct validity was established for each subscale using content validity as well as convergent and discriminant validity (Allen, 2009).…”

“…The present study, a secondary analysis of a national survey of rural and urban Head Start staff and MHCs, was part of a mixed‐methods study that also included a qualitative telephone focus group study of rural and urban Head Start MHCs (Allen, 2009). The secondary analysis examined the relationship between five attributes of MHCs and staff reports of improved child outcomes and a positive relationship with the MHC.…”

“… Mary Dallas Allen is now at the School of Social Work, University of Alaska, Anchorage; Beth L. Green is now at the Center for the Improvement of Child and Family Services, Portland State University. This article is based on a doctoral dissertation (Allen, 2009), which was funded by the Head Start Graduate Student Research Grant, Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children, Youth, and Families (90YD211/01). This research also was funded by Grant H133B990025 from the National Institute for Disabilities and Rehabilitation Research to Portland State University's Research and Training Center for Family Support and Children's Mental Health.…”