Adult Outcomes as a Function of an Early Childhood Educational Program: An Abecedarian Project Follow-Up

Adult (age 30) educational, economic, and social-emotional adjustment outcomes were investigated for participants in the Abecedarian Project, a randomized controlled trial of early childhood education for children from low-income families. Of the original 111 infants enrolled (98% African American),...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDevelopmental psychology Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 1033 - 1043
Main Authors Campbell, Frances A, Pungello, Elizabeth P, Burchinal, Margaret, Kainz, Kirsten, Pan, Yi, Wasik, Barbara H, Barbarin, Oscar A, Sparling, Joseph J, Ramey, Craig T
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Psychological Association 01.07.2012
Subjects
Adult
Adults
Age Factors
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Crime
Early Childhood Education
Early Intervention (Education)
Economic Status
Educational Attainment
Educational Status
Employment
Employment Level
Family
Female
Followup Studies
Graduation Rate
Heads of Households
Health Status
Humans
Income
Infant
Longitudinal Studies
Low Income Groups
Male
Marriage
Mental Health
North Carolina
Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
Outcomes of Education
Parents
Physical Health
Poverty
Sex Factors
Social Adjustment
Socioeconomic Factors
Statistics as Topic
Substance Abuse
Surveys and Questionnaires
Welfare Recipients
Young Adult
North Carolina
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Summary:Adult (age 30) educational, economic, and social-emotional adjustment outcomes were investigated for participants in the Abecedarian Project, a randomized controlled trial of early childhood education for children from low-income families. Of the original 111 infants enrolled (98% African American), 101 took part in the age 30 follow-up. Primary indicators of educational level, economic status, and social adjustment were examined as a function of early childhood treatment. Treated individuals attained significantly more years of education, but income-to-needs ratios and criminal involvement did not vary significantly as a function of early treatment. A number of other indicators were described for each domain. Overall, the findings provide strong evidence for educational benefits, mixed evidence for economic benefits, and little evidence for treatment-related social adjustment outcomes. Implications for public policy are discussed. (Contains 5 tables.)
ISSN:0012-1649
1939-0599
DOI:10.1037/a0026644