This chapter provides an international perspective on the promotion of positive development and the prevention of risky behavior among youth. We discuss some of the specific challenges that youth face in low- and middle-income countries and identify six key evidence-based policies and programs that aim to promote positive youth development and…

The benefits of high quality early childhood programs have been documented. Good programs engage students in developmentally appropriate practices that include pre-literacy, pre-numeracy activities, language, social and physical development in these preschool programs. Studies have shown that literacy skills such as letter-name recognition,…

Language and literacy skills are critical to success in school. For low-income preschoolers, increasing early literacy and math skills is vital to closing the achievement gap between them and their more advantaged peers. New research shows that an intentional curriculum and professional development and supports for teachers are important…

Policymakers and early childhood experts have long recognized the important role early childhood programs play in meeting the needs of young vulnerable children. Federal programs such as Head Start and Parts 619 & C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are specifically designed to target young, vulnerable children and…

The first edition of this indispensable book set the standard for high-quality intervention and prevention programs in early childhood practice. Since its publication, many new forces have impacted the landscape of early childhood education, presenting both great opportunities and great risks for today's emotionally fragile young children. Once…

Purpose: Language and speech are difficult to assess in newly arrived internationally adopted children. The purpose of this study was to determine if assessments completed when toddlers were first adopted could predict language outcomes at age 2. Local norms were used to develop early intervention guidelines that were evaluated against age 2…

The main criterion for eligibility for special education services in schools has been proof of intrinsic deficit. There are two problems with this focus: First, defining and identifying high-incidence disabilities are ambiguous and subjective processes. Second, the focus on disability has become so intertwined with the historical devaluing of…

Many culturally diverse families and their young children with disabilities or delays are not provided appropriate early intervention/early childhood special education services, especially not in a culturally sensitive and meaningful context. Families with diverse backgrounds often feel helpless and stressful because their values are not…

During the last decade, nearly 190,000 children from outside the United States have been adopted by families in the United States, and many of these children have experienced orphanage care. These children are vulnerable to a complex constellation of deficits crossing behavioral, physical, educational and emotional domains. Parents and schools are…

Professionals in the field of special education are constantly being asked about efficacy and outcome-based practice. The tragic event that took place at Virginia Tech shocked the world. This article uses the Virginia Tech tragedy as a base to discuss the need for all professionals to develop cultural competence. Furthermore, it discusses the…

Literature suggests that communication is a protective factor against high-risk sexual behavior. This study assessed the impact of a fourth-grade communication-centered life skills program on attitudes, norms, self-efficacy, behaviors, and intentions toward communication about difficult subjects. Participants included 1,581 low-income Mexican…

An intervention group (n = 23) of preschool children with autism was identified on the basis of parent preference for early intensive behavioral intervention and a comparison group (n = 21) identified as receiving treatment as usual. Prospective assessment was undertaken before treatment, after 1 year of treatment, and again after 2 years. Groups…

In the last two decades, a myriad of political and social factors have converged and had a dramatic impact on Early Childhood Education (EC) and Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE). There have been sweeping changes in policy and shifts in society that have resulted in greater numbers of programs serving young children of all abilities and…

Background: An area-based initiative, Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs), was established by the UK government to reduce social exclusion through improving the well-being of children aged 0-3 years and their families in disadvantaged communities; a true community intervention in that all children under four and their families in specified areas…

Early triadic interaction, the reciprocal action between mother-father-child, is described in the family of a girl diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder (DSM 299.00) and learning difficulties at seven years. By chance, the family participated in a longitudinal study examining triadic interaction in 20 Swedish families using the Lausanne…