Poster #162 - Indicators of successful aging: An experimental study of long-term effects of early care and education on midlife outcomes

• In Event: 3-206 - Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Section - Prevention and Interventions

Integrative Statement

A prospective randomized controlled trial began in 1972 with the primary goal of preventing cognitive impairments and school failure in 111 children (early education (n = 57) and control group (n = 54)) born into risk. In its 5th decade of follow-up, the current study examines long-term outcomes for those who did and did not receive a 5 year high-quality early care and education intervention on successful midlife aging.
The current study reports outcomes at ages 39 – 45 years (42 who received the early education and 36 controls). Informed by Rowe and Kahn’s (1987) definition of successful aging, we generated 10-item composite indices for midlife strength and risk. Derived from participant responses to semi-structured interview questions during the 5th decade follow-up, a continuous measure of midlife strength was created into an index of 10 items in five general areas. The five areas included within the strength index are education, health, employment, personal resources, and parental relationships. Additionally, a continuous measure of midlife risk was combined to create an index with 10 items in six general areas. The six areas include education, health, employment, public assistance, civic engagement, and pregnancy. Each of the indices’ items was treated as binary variables. Analyses investigated whether the treatment group differed in their indices of midlife adjustment, as well as whether or not their midlife outcomes related significantly to their intelligence scores just prior to school entry. Experienced interviewers blinded to participant group assignment conducted interviews.
Significant group differences favoring the early education group occurred for both the strengths index (F (1, 76) = 15.85, p = .000) and the risk index (F (1, 76 = 8.88, p = .004). Moreover, a significant interaction exists between group assignment and IQ at age 4 for the strengths index (β = -.215, p < .05), supporting the hypothesis that cognitive competence early in life provides a strong foundation for later positive educational, health, social, and economic outcomes.
Providing high-quality early care and education to children born into multi-risk, economically impoverished families show a significant association with benefits extending beyond childhood and early adulthood.

Authors

• Libbie Sonnier-Netto, Center for Development & Learning/Virginia Tech
  Presenting Author

• Sharon L. Ramey, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carolyn M Shivers, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author

• Craig T Ramey, Virginia Tech
  Non-Presenting Author