The Efficacy of Early Intervention

Although data concerning the efficacy of early intervention have been available for more than two decades, questions concerning the effectiveness of these programs continue to be raised. This paper examines four basic assumptions of intervention programs that must be clarified before the global question of efficacy can be meaningfully addressed: the implicit theory of human development, the conceptualization of the specific interventions, how developmental change is measured, and the strategies used for selecting program participants. A final discussion highlights the role played by the child's family in effective intervention programs.

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