title: Adult outcomes as a function of an early childhood educational program: an Abecedarian Project follow-up.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, CB # 8180, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8180, USA. frances.campbell@unc.edu
authors.forename: Frances A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Elizabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Pungello
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burchinal
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kainz
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Barbara H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Wasik
authors.forename: Oscar A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Barbarin
authors.forename: Joseph J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sparling
authors.forename: Craig T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Ramey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011203:Poverty; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult