The Effects of Early Childhood Development Promotion Program on knowledge and Promotion Behaviors on Child Development of Parents and Caregivers in Mueang District, Lampang Province

Abstract

The pre-experimental research study, one group pretest-posttest design, was conducted with the aim to investigate the effects of early childhood development promotion program on knowledge and promotion behaviors on child development of parents and caregivers in Mueang District, Lampang Province. Fourty four purposive samples, parents and caregivers of child care centers in the catchment area of Health Promoting Hospital, were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The program comprised health teaching, skill training in assessment and promotion of child development regarding 5 dimensions—gross motor, fine motor, receptive language, expressive language, and personal and social—and monitoring practical problems by mentors of child care centers or health professionals for 2 weeks. Data were collected using knowledge and behavior questionnaires concerning the assessment and promotion of child development. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and Paired t-test. The results showed that after participated the program, the mean knowledge score and the mean behavioral score in assessing and promoting childhood development of the parents and caregivers were significantly higher than those of the before (p = .03 and p = 0.00, respectively). These findings reveal that early childhood development promotion program can be used as a guideline to enhance parents’ and caregivers’competency on monitoring and promoting childhood development.