Research on early childhood interventions in the confirmatory mode

Advances in knowledge and opportunities for research in the prevention field of early childhood intervention are discussed. Although significant progress in understanding the effects of early childhood interventions has occurred in the past three decades, questions surrounding the causal mechanisms of change, who benefits most from which program components, and the reliability of effects for large-scale programs deserve special attention. Confirmatory program evaluation is discussed as a method for addressing these and other questions in research on early intervention and in other social interventions. Confirmatory program evaluation is a theory-based impact assessment that emphasizes the explication and testing of a priori program theories in determining effectiveness. Greater emphasis is given to identifying the causal mechanisms or active ingredients of intervention effects. Examples from the Chicago Longitudinal Study are highlighted to show how confirmatory approaches can help validate the effects of a variety of social programs and policies. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.