TUESDAY, Jan. 4, 2005 (HealthDayNews) -- An intervention program for elementary school children from crime-ridden areas, along with training of their parents and teachers, helps children become more productive and better-adjusted young adults, according to a University of Washington study.
The study included more than 600 children from 18 Seattle public schools in high-crime neighborhoods. The children were divided into three groups. One group received the intervention program for at least one semester in grades one through four and at least one semester in grades five or six.
The second group received the program for at least a semester in grades five or six. The third group did not receive the program.
The program taught children impulse control, how to recognize other peoples' feeling, and how to get what they want without aggressive behavior. Teachers were trained in specialized skills in classroom management and instruction. Parents were given lessons in family management, positive reinforcement, and monitoring of their children.
The study tracked the children to age 21. It found that those who received the full intervention program were more likely to graduate from high school and to complete at least two years of college, than those who received the abbreviated form of the program and those who didn't receive it.
Those who received the full intervention program reported higher levels of employment, being employed at their current job for longer, and better emotional and mental health.
"What this study shows is we can do more in public elementary schools to ensure that all children get on a track to greater success. The benefits of this program transfer to greater success in education, getting a good job with a future and having a more positive view of life in young adulthood," study author J. David Hawkins, a social work professor and founder of the university's Social Development Research Group, said in a prepared statement.
More information
The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about child development and behavior.
