Studien viser, at forældreinterventioner i de første 3 år forbedrer børns kognitive, sproglige, motoriske og følelsesmæssige udvikling samt forældres viden og praksis. Effekten er særligt stor i lav- og mellemindkomstlande og ved brug af responsiv omsorg.
Titel på undersøgelse:
Parenting Interventions to Promote Early Child Development in the First Three Years of Life: A Global Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
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Hele abstrakt på originalsprog:
During the critical first three years of life, when neural plasticity peaks and foundational developmental trajectories are established, parenting interventions hold transformative potential. A comprehensive global systematic review and meta-analysis examined randomized controlled trials targeting this period, assessing their impact on early child development (ECD) and parenting outcomes. The evidence revealed significant enhancements: cognitive, language, and motor skills advanced markedly, while socioemotional growth flourished and behavioral challenges diminished. Quantitatively, standardized mean differences underscored robust effects across domains, with parental knowledge, practices, and interactions showing parallel gains—reflecting improved responsiveness and engagement. However, parental depressive symptoms remained largely unaffected, suggesting a limitation in addressing caregiver mental health. Subgroup analyses highlighted stronger ECD benefits in low- and middle-income contexts and with responsive caregiving foci, yet child age, intervention duration, and delivery modalities showed no consistent moderation. Despite heterogeneity and variable study quality, the findings affirm that structured interventions in these formative years yield measurable developmental dividends. Scaling high-quality programs globally is imperative to optimize this brief, biologically critical window and support caregivers in fostering children’s potential.