Date Approved

5-26-2017

Embargo Period

5-30-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MA School Psychology

Department

Psychology

College

College of Science & Mathematics

Advisor

DiHoff, Roberta

Keywords

early intervention, social-emotional skills, IDEA, developmental delays, Individualized Family Service Plans

Subject(s)

Children with disabilities--Services for--New Jersey; Infants with disabilities; Toddlers with disabilities

Disciplines

Disability and Equity in Education | Early Childhood Education

Abstract

The positive influence of early intervention on the future success of infants and toddlers who qualify for these services has been supported by various studies. Social-emotional skills, a targeted outcome of early intervention services, are an essential component of a child's social and academic success. New Jersey County Determination Reports demonstrate a disparity between the percentage of children entering early intervention with social-emotional skills below age expectation and then proceeding to exit early intervention with substantially increased social-emotional skills. The purpose of this study was to understand whether certain variables impacted these percentages. Variables investigated for each county included the number of referrals, number of families receiving Individualized Family Service Plans, county size and median household income. Through statistical analyses of information provided in the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years New Jersey Early Intervention System County Determination Reports, statistical significance revealed a correlation between county size and social-emotional skills growth for both years reviewed. A correlation between median household income and social-emotional skills growth was also found in fiscal year 2015. Further research is necessary to understand why these variables may play a significant role in increasing social-emotional skills within the Early Intervention System.

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