Program Profile: Child First

This program is a comprehensive, home-based, therapeutic intervention for high-risk families with children ages 6–36 months that seeks to decrease parents’ psychosocial stress and enhance their children’s social-emotional and cognitive development.

Profile Updated:

Summary: This program is a comprehensive, home-based, therapeutic intervention for high-risk families with children ages 6–36 months that seeks to decrease parents’ psychosocial stress and enhance their children’s social-emotional and cognitive development. The program is rated Promising for reducing children’s externalizing behavior problems, parental stress, and parental depression.   (Review the full program description).

Title Rating Details Outcome Category Study(ies)
Externalizing behavior (multisite) None | One Study

Children in the Child First intervention group had fewer externalizing behavior problems (which included activity/impulsivity, aggression/defiance, and peer aggression) after 12 months, compared with children in the usual care control group. This difference was statistically significant. 

Mental Health/Behavioral Health ; Externalizing behavior

Lowell, Darcy I., Alice S. Carter, Leandra Godoy, Belinda Paulicin, and Margaret J. Briggs-Gowan. 2011. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Child FIRST: A Comprehensive Home-Based Intervention Translating Research Into Early Childhood Practice.” Child Development 82(1):193–208.

See evaluation methods.

Parental stress (multisite)
 Promising | 
  One Study

Promising | One Study

Mothers in the Child First intervention group reported less clinical-level parenting stress after 12 months, compared with mothers in the usual care control group. This difference was statistically significant. 

Family functioning; Parenting skills; Parental stress

Lowell, Darcy I., Alice S. Carter, Leandra Godoy, Belinda Paulicin, and Margaret J. Briggs-Gowan. 2011. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Child FIRST: A Comprehensive Home-Based Intervention Translating Research Into Early Childhood Practice.” Child Development 82(1):193–208.

See evaluation methods.

Depression (multisite) None | One Study

Mothers in the Child First intervention group reported fewer clinical-level depressive symptoms after 12 months, compared with mothers in the usual care control group. This difference was statistically significant. 

Mental Health/Behavioral Health ; Internalizing behavior; Depression

Lowell, Darcy I., Alice S. Carter, Leandra Godoy, Belinda Paulicin, and Margaret J. Briggs-Gowan. 2011. “A Randomized Controlled Trial of Child FIRST: A Comprehensive Home-Based Intervention Translating Research Into Early Childhood Practice.” Child Development 82(1):193–208.

See evaluation methods.

Date Created: July 17, 2024

Program Status

This program is Active.