COMMUNITY-BASED RESILIENT PEER TREATMENT OF WITHDRAWN MALTREATED PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate differences in the so cial play of maltreated and nonmaltreated preschool children and the e ffectiveness of a resilient peer treatment (RPT) for socially withdraw n victims of physical abuse and neglect. RPT is a peer-mediated classr oom intervention based on a developmental-ecological model. It involve s pairing withdrawn children with resilient peers in the natural class room under the supervision of a parent assistant. Forty-six Head Start children, of whom 22 were maltreated, were randomly assigned to RPT a nd control conditions. Outcome variables were observational categories of social play and standardized teacher ratings. Before treatment, ma ltreated children were significantly more isolated and less interactiv e in peer play than nonmaltreated children. RPT resulted in a signific ant increase in positive interactive peer play and a decrease in solit ary play for maltreated and nonmaltreaed, socially withdrawn children. Moreover, treatment gains in social interactions were validated 2 mon ths following treatment. Findings are discussed in terms of a developm ental-ecological model.