RISK STATUS AND HOME INTERVENTION AMONG CHILDREN WITH FAILURE-TO-THRIVE - FOLLOW-UP AT AGE 4

Examined the moderating effects of risk status on the impact of home i ntervention in a follow-up study of children with failure-to-thrive (F TT). Two types of risk (demographic and maternal negative affectivity) and two levels of intervention were examined. In this randomized clin ical trial, all children received services in a multidisciplinary grow th and nutrition clinic, and half the children also received home visi ts from a lay home visitor for 1 year. There were no effects of demogr aphic risk, maternal negative affectivity, or intervention status on c hild outcome at the close of the home intervention. However, at age 4, more than 1 year after the home intervention ended, there were effect s of the home intervention on motor development among all children and on cognitive development and behavior during play among children of m others who reported low levels of negative affectivity. Results highli ght the importance of conducting follow-up assessments in the evaluati on of home intervention services, and suggest that among low-SES famil ies of children with FTT, home intervention may be most useful among m others with low negative affectivity.