NCJ Number
150598
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 18 Issue: 7 Dated: (July 1994) Pages: 599- 606
Date Published
1994
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A Seattle parent education program directed to low- income, inner-city mothers of children under age 1 was studied in terms of the risk factors for dropping out of the program.
Abstract
The program was offered at three health centers providing comprehensive pediatric care to low-income families. Baseline information was obtained from an intake questionnaire, the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS), and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). Of the 172 enrollees, 124 (72 percent) completed the program. Univariate analyses revealed that dropouts were more likely to be located at Clinic Site Three (42 percent versus 10 percent), teenaged (44 percent versus 23 percent), and black (56 percent versus 32 percent), and to have HOME scores less than 32 (57 percent versus 33 percent). No significant differences existed between those who dropped out and those who did not in marital status, education, referral rate to child protective services prior to the start of parenting classes, or NCATS scores. Multivariate analyses revealed that an age less than 20 was significantly associated with dropping out when race and HOME scores were taken into account. Findings suggest that program planners need to develop appropriate strategies to retain teenage mothers in parenting programs. Tables and 26 references (Author abstract modified)