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The Effects of the Healthy Families America Home Visitation Program on Parenting Attitudes and Practices and Child Social and Emotional Competence

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Abstract

This study examined the effects of a Healthy Families America (HFA) credentialed home visitation program on the parenting attitudes and practices of a sample of at-risk parents. It also examined the social and emotional competence of children whose parents successfully completed the program. The HFA model is an intensive early intervention program that targets at-risk families through home visitation services. Successful completion of the program is a process that takes between 3 and 5 years. Results indicate that, relative to the baseline, parents who completed the program showed significant positive change in parenting attitudes and practices. In addition, relative to other children their age, the children of families who successfully completed the program exhibited significantly higher levels of performance on measures of social and emotional competence.

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  1. Appalachian Family Innovations, A Division of Appalachian State University, 203 Avery Avenue, Morganton, NC, 28655, USA

    Joseph P. Cullen, Jeannie B. Ownbey & Mark A. Ownbey

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  1. Joseph P. Cullen
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  2. Jeannie B. Ownbey
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Correspondence to Joseph P. Cullen.

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Cullen, J.P., Ownbey, J.B. & Ownbey, M.A. The Effects of the Healthy Families America Home Visitation Program on Parenting Attitudes and Practices and Child Social and Emotional Competence. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 27, 335–354 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-010-0206-9

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