THE EFFICACY OF AN EARLY PREVENTION PROGRAM FACILITATED BY OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Objective. This study examined the long-term effect of an early preven tion program on mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with rega rd to their children's development. The prevention program focused on increasing the mothers' sensitivity to their children's needs and thei r awareness of the importance oft heir role in their children's early development. Method. Fifty-five mothers and their infants received app roximately. 5 hours of intervention once every 8 weeks during the infa nts' first year of life. A control group of 54 mothers and their infan ts did not receive the intervention. Subjects' knowledge of their chil dren's sensory, motor and language abilities; their beliefs in their a bility to influence their children's development; and an indication of whether they implemented their knowledge were all measured with the K nowledge, Attitude, and Practices Questionnaire (KAP) 1.5 years to 2 y ears after completion of the prevention program. Results. KAP scores o f the intervention group were higher than the scores of the control gr oup, suggesting that the prevention program helped mothers acquire gre ater knowledge and more appropriate attitudes and practices about chil d development. Conclusion. This study supports the theory, that the ef fect of a primary prevention program during the first year of a child' s life can be sustained for I year to 2 years.