An intervention program to help teach low-income mothers how to play and interact with their toddlers is still showing benefits 20 years later, as the children have grown up to have higher IQs, better school performance, and less involvement in violence, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers in Jamaica began the program in the 1980s, working with 129 toddlers with stunted growth who were living in an impoverished area of the country.
One group of toddlers was part the stimulation program, which involved a weekly visit from a woman who taught the mothers how to interact with their children and provided them with appropriate toys and books. A second group received extra food every week, while a third group was given both food and stimulation. A fourth control group received neither.
The researchers periodically followed up with the children, who are now 22 years old. Those who were enrolled in the stimulation program were 65 percent less likely to become involved in violent fights, scored an average of six points higher on IQ tests and performed better in reading and math over the years. None of these benefits were seen in the children who were given extra food.
"The most exciting finding this time was the reduction in violent behavior, because that’s something we haven’t shown before," noted Dr. Susan Walker, the study’s lead author.