Preventing Adverse Developmental Outcomes and Early Onset Conduct Problems Through Prenatal and Infancy Home Visitation: The German Pilot Project “Pro Kind”

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Jungmann, Tanja | Ziert, Yvonne | Kurtz, Vivien | Brand, Tilman

Note: [] Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Tanja Jungmann, who is now at the Institute for Special Needs Pedagogies, Philosophical Faculty, Leibniz University Hannover, Schloßwender Str. 1, 30159 Hannover, Germany, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Rigorously evaluated prenatal and infancy home visitation programs for families at risk have proven to effectively prevent the development of early onset and later conduct problems. The German pilot project “Pro Kind” is an adaptation of the US evidence-based Nurse-Family Partnership program. It has been evaluated in a longitudinal randomized control group design since 2006. In this paper, preliminary results for prenatal health behavior, pregnancy, birth as well as child neurodevelopmental outcomes at 6 and 12 months of age are presented. So far, positive treatment effects are only found for the cognitive outcomes at the age of 12 months.

Keywords: prevention, home visitation, pregnancy, infancy, Pro Kind

DOI: 10.3233/DEV-2009-3307

Journal: International Journal of Developmental Science, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 292-298, 2009