The research work, which has been carried out by Jessica Asscher et al, aims to evaluate the effectiveness of home-start programs. In particular, the scholars try to answer the following questions: 1) whether the treatment which is given to families by public organizations brings improvement. 2) Furthermore, the authors attempt to determine whether such families can adapt themselves to the community after the intervention. They also discuss the criteria, according to which betterment can be assessed. In this study, special attention has been given to such parameters as maternal wellbeing, parenting behavior and the conduct of the child; these characteristics are regarded by the scholars as to the most crucial ones (Asscher et al 2008). During the course of the study, the authors have employed mostly quantitative research methods, in particular, statistical surveys with forced-choice and scaling questions (2008, p. 354). Jessica Asscher et al have endeavored to compare the results of home-start mothers with those ones of a norm group. The findings of this investigation indicate that mothers, who have received home-visiting courses, show considerable progress, and they are quite able to efficiently interact with other members of the society. In this case, we should focus on the behavior of the children, namely, the researchers have identified that after such courses there has been decreasing of externalization, yet the problems of negativity have remained acute. According to Jessica Asscher, it might be due to untimely end of intervention. Certainly, this investigation has several limitations, because such research techniques as surveys or questionnaires may often be biased, still the ideas, expressed in this article may be helpful.
This article does not directly focus on the socialization and the acquisition of life skills, but scholars explore the factors, which affect this process, for example, they discuss the aspects of parenting behavior such as responsiveness, warmth, negative control and harshness (2008, p. 357). Social psychologists try to develop courses for parents and children in order to help them to learn those basic skills that are essential for any civilized society. The results of this study should be utilized or at least taken into consideration by the social workers and educators to avoid possible pitfalls. This work might be useful to the extent that it provides clear guidelines for the assessment of the relations in the family. In addition to that, Jessica Asscher emphasizes the importance of accurate assessment, and she advances a hypothesis that the failures of home-visiting programs occur because some social workers are content only with short-term signs of improvement. In part, this is the reason why some children cannot effectively achieve the necessary level of socialization.
The article is also closely related to the case that has been presented in this assignment. It involves close collaboration of teachers, psychologists (or social workers), parents, and children. We are dealing with infants of kindergarten age, and the educators have to implant certain behavioral norms and principles in children. However, they cannot possibly do it without parental support. Thus, all the participants have to work hand in hand in order to achieve success. The research by Jessica Asscher may prove to be very applicable for psychologists as it shows how to grade the effectiveness of intervention. It seems that the questionnaire, developed by the authors, may be used by public organizations. Apart from that, the study clearly identifies the criteria (maternal well-being, parental and children behavior) that should be taken into account by social workers.
Bibliography
- Asscher J. Dekovic M. Prinzie. P. Hermanns J (2008). Assessing Change in Families Following Home-Start Patenting Programs: Clinical Significance and Predictors of Change. Family Relations, (57), pp. 351-364.
- Bornstein M (2002). Handbook of Parenting: Social conditions and applied parenting. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.