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Background There is an urgent need for effective, affordable interventions to prevent child mental health problems in low- and middle- income countries. Aims To determine the effects of a universal pre-school-based intervention on child conduct problems and social skills at school and at home. Method In a cluster randomised design, 24 community pre-schools in inner-city… Read more
Growth retardation affects about a third of children younger than age 5 years in developing countries and is associated with poor development. Previously, we did a trial of nutritional supplementation and psychosocial stimulation in stunted children aged 9—24 months. Non-stunted children were also assessed. Both types of intervention improved development. We now present the effects… Read more
AIM: The aim of this study was to determine whether psychosocial stimulation up to the age of 2 years benefits cognition and behaviour at age 6 years in low-birthweight, term-born (LBW-T) children (gestational age > or =37 wk, birthweight <2500g), and to compare LBW-T and normal-birthweight (NBW) children. METHOD: LBW-T Jamaican infants were randomized at… Read more
There is little unequivocal evidence that nutritional supplementation of undernourished children has a beneficial effect on their mental development. The effects of nutritional supplementation, with or without psychosocial stimulation, of growth-retarded (stunted) children aged 9-24 months were assessed in a study in Kingston, Jamaica. 129 children from poor neighbourhoods were randomly assigned to four groups—control,… Read more
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dietary supplementation or psychosocial stimulation given to growth retarded (stunted) children age 9-24 months has long term benefits for their psychosocial functioning in late adolescence. DESIGN:Sixteen year follow-up study of a randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Poor neighbourhoods in Kingston, Jamaica. PARTICIPANTS: Of 129 stunted children identified at age 9-24 months, 103… Read more
Objectives: To assess the feasibility of integrating early psychosocial stimulation into primary care for undernourished children and to determine the effect on children’s development and mothers’ knowledge and practices of childrearing. Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial. Setting: 18 clinics in three Jamaican parishes. Participants: 139 undernourished children aged 9 to 30 months and their mothers… Read more
A school improvement program that provided support to poor-performing schools on the basis of needs identified in a school improvement plan was implemented in 72 government schools in Jamaica, from1998 to 2005. In this independent evaluation of the program, we use propensity score matching to create, post hoc, a control group of schools that were… Read more
A randomized intervention that gave psychosocial stimulation to stunted Jamaican toddlers living in poverty was shown to have large effects on the earnings of participants. The intervention consisted of one-hour weekly visits from community Jamaican health workers over a 2-year period that taught parenting skills and encouraged mothers to interact and play with their children… Read more