Research and Data
A recent Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) conducted in Arizona reveals significant benefits of the Parents as Teachers home visiting program on child and caregiver outcomes, underscoring the program’s effectiveness as a critical early intervention strategy for family support.
The study, funded by First Things First Arizona and Enterprise Mobility and conducted by LeCroy & Milligan Associates, included 461 families enrolled with four Parents as Teachers affiliates. The results showcase measurable improvements across child development, parenting practices, family health and safety, and increased community resource utilization at six and 12 months post-enrollment.
Research and Data
A recent Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) conducted in Arizona reveals significant benefits of the Parents as Teachers home visiting program on child and caregiver outcomes, underscoring the program’s effectiveness as a critical early intervention strategy for family support.
The study, funded by First Things First Arizona and Enterprise Mobility and conducted by LeCroy & Milligan Associates, included 461 families enrolled with four Parents as Teachers affiliates. The results showcase measurable improvements across child development, parenting practices, family health and safety, and increased community resource utilization at six and 12 months post-enrollment.
6-Month Findings
Parenting Practices
Significant improvements were found in Parents as Teachers families’ parenting practices in areas of parenting efficacy (Healthy Families Parenting Inventory [HFPI]) and hopefulness (Hearth Hope Index) at 6 months.
Health and Safety
All seven safety practices measured by the Home Safety Scale (IT-HOME) were documented at significantly higher rates for the Parents as Teachers intervention group than the control group at 6 months.
Parents as Teachers parents had significantly lower HFPI Risk Scores than control parents at 6 months, a measure of depression and parenting stress.
Child Development
The Parents as Teachers intervention showed a significant positive impact on children’s talking and listening and understanding skills (Vineland-II) at 6 months.
Parents as Teachers parents also showed significant improvement in reading to their child every day at 6 months. (Resources available during the day at 6 months.)
Source: LeCroy, C. W., Morrill Nisbet, K. E, & Schmidt, M. C.. (2024). Randomized Control Trial of the Parents as Teachers home visiting program: Outcomes of the intervention on
families at six month follow-up. Children and Youth Services Review, 165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107875.
12-Month Findings
Parenting Practices
Significant improvements in parenting efficacy (Healthy Families Parenting Inventory [HFPI]) were sustained at 12 months for the Parents as Teachers intervention group.
Parents as Teachers parents also showed notable improvements in social support and role satisfaction (HFPI) scores at 12 months compared to the control group.
Health and Safety
All seven safety practices measured by the Home Safety Scale (IT-HOME) continued to show significantly higher utilization rates for the Parents as Teachers intervention group than the control group at 12 months.
Suggested Citation: LeCroy & Milligan Associates. (2024). Parents as Teachers Randomized Control Trial in Arizona: 6- and 12-Month Outcomes. Tucson, AZ.
Child Development
The Parents as Teachers intervention group showed a positive impact at 12 months on children’s talking and playing and leisure skills, as measured by the Vineland-II.
A higher percentage of Parents as Teachers parents (42%) read to their child “every day” than control group parents (33% at 12 months post baseline.
Suggested Citation: LeCroy & Milligan Associates. (2024). Parents as Teachers Randomized Control Trial in Arizona: 6- and 12-Month Outcomes. Tucson, AZ.
Resource Utilization
At 12 months, the Parents as Teachers group utilized a higher average number of community resources (2.9) compared to control group (2.5).
Parents as Teachers families commonly used free/reduced lunch, subsidized childcare, preschool, mental health services, parent support groups, and developmental speech therapy for children.
Suggested Citation: LeCroy & Milligan Associates. (2024). Parents as Teachers Randomized Control Trial in Arizona: 6- and 12-Month Outcomes. Tucson, AZ.
