Home-based child development interventions for preschool children from socially disadvantaged families

BACKGROUND
Social disadvantage can have a significant impact on early child development, health and wellbeing. What happens during this critical period is important for all aspects of development. Caregiving competence and the quality of the environment play an important role in supporting development in young children and parents have an important role to play in optimising child development and mitigating the negative effects of social disadvantage. Home-based child development programmes aim to optimise children's developmental outcomes through educating, training and supporting parents in their own home to provide a more nurturing and stimulating environment for their child.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the effects of home-based programmes aimed specifically at improving developmental outcomes for preschool children from socially disadvantaged families.

SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched the following databases between 7 October and 12 October 2010: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (2010, Issue 4), MEDLINE (1950 to week 4, September 2010), EMBASE (1980 to Week 39, 2010), CINAHL (1937 to current), PsycINFO (1887 to current), ERIC (1966 to current), ASSIA (1987 to current), Sociological Abstracts (1952 to current), Social Science Citation Index (1970 to current). We also searched reference lists of articles.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials comparing home-based preschool child development interventions with a 'standard care' control. Participants were parents with children up to the age of school entry who were socially disadvantaged in respect of poverty, lone parenthood or ethnic minority status.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors independently selected studies, assessed the trials' risk of bias and extracted data.

RESULTS
We included seven studies, which involved 723 participants. We assessed four of the seven studies as being at high risk of bias and three had an unclear risk of bias; the quality of the evidence was difficult to assess as there was often insufficient detail reported to enable any conclusions to be drawn about the methodological rigour of the studies. Four trials involving 285 participants measured cognitive development and we synthesised these data in a meta-analysis. Compared to the control group, there was no statistically significant impact of the intervention on cognitive development (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.30; 95% confidence interval -0.18 to 0.78). Only three studies reported socioemotional outcomes and there was insufficient data to combine into a meta-analysis. No study reported on adverse effects.

AUTHORS’ CONCLUSIONS
This review does not provide evidence of the effectiveness of home-based interventions that are specifically targeted at improving developmental outcomes for preschool children from socially disadvantaged families. Future studies should endeavour to better document and report their methodological processes.

Les Lionel Groulx : la pseudonymie comme stratégie littéraire et jeu institutionnel (1900-1966)

De 1900 à 1966, Lionel Groulx, prêtre, historien, écrivain, conférencier, professeur, a signé 176 textes d'une vingtaine de pseudonymes différents. Le premier chapitre du mémoire résume d'abord les positions théoriques qu'ont adoptées des chercheurs comme Genette, Laugaa et Jeandillou en ce qui concerne la pseudonymie. Le récit de l'aventure pseudonyme de Groulx commence au deuxième chapitre, alors que le jeune professeur du College de Valleyfield, surtout pour éviter les représailles de son évêque, recourra à la pseudonymie pour signer des textes patriotiques. En 1915, Groulx quitte Valleyfield pour Montréal. Dès 1917, il collabore à l'Action française, dont il devient le directeur en 1920. Sans contredit, l'étude de la pseudonymie de Groulx de 1917 a 1929 prouve qu'il est bel et bien "L'Homme à tout faire" de la revue, comme le démontre le troisième chapitre. Le quatrième et dernier chapitre analyse la période 1930 à 1966. [Résumé abrégé par UMI]

Letter, Redwine Jackson Parish, LA, to George Washington Spencer, Chesterfield, SC, 1887 February 21

This letter is from J. J. Spencer to G. W. Spencer.

Concert of Harpsichord Music, November 3, 1966

Concert Program for Concert of Harpsichord Music, November 3, 1966

John Buttrick, Faculty Recital, January 7, 1966

Concert Program for John Buttrick, Faculty Recital, January 7, 1966

The University Band March 6, 1966

Concert program for The University Band March 6, 1966

The Consul March 2 & 5, 1966

Concert program for The Consul March 2 & 5, 1966

The University Singers and The University Evening Chorus March 1, 1966

Concert program for The University Singers and the University Evening Chorus March 1, 1966

A Concerto Program, February 20, 1966

Concert program for A Concerto Program, February 20, 1966

The University Wind Sinfonietta, February 18, 1966

Concert program for The University Wind Sinfonietta, February 18, 1966

The University Sinfonietta, February 15, 1966

Concert Program for The University Sinfonietta, February 15, 1966

Randolph Hokanson, Piano Recital, February 2, 1966

Concert Program for Randolph Hokanson, Piano Recital, February 2, 1966

Michael E. Young, Organ Recital, February 1, 1966

Concert Program for Michael E. Young, Organ Recital, February 1, 1966

Noon Concert, William Bolcom, Harrison Ryker, Bruce Bailey, February 1, 1966

Concert Program for Noon Concert, William Bolcom, Harrison Ryker, Bruce Bailey, February 1, 1966

The University Symphony Orchestra, January 28, 1966

Concert Program for The University Symphony Orchestra, January 28, 1966