Socioeconomic Mix: Effects on Disadvantaged Children in Preschool Child Development Programs

In a study of preschool child development programs, the purposes were two-fold: (1) to determine the effects of socioeconomic mix upon the cognitive, social, and language development of disadvantaged children, and (2) to determine the relative effects of two percentages of socioeconomic mix upon the cognitive, social, and language development of disadvantaged children. Using the pre-test, post-test experimental design with several testing methods, the analysis of variance and covariance were the major statistical tools used in the analysis of the data in addition to some a priori comparisons between treatment means on the results of the analysis of variance. The trends showed considerable support for the positive effects of socioeconomic mix. Included in the conclusions are: (1) the positive effect on the cognitive development, with less positive effects on verbal skills than other areas of cognition; (2) an increase in interactions between the subject and adults, and a decrease in those between subject and peers as the level of socioeconomic mix increases; (3) the reverse of such interactions as the level of socioeconomic mix decreases; (4) positive effects on the social competency under problem and stress conditions; and (5) positive effects in the development of social directed behavior and less ego directed behavior. (Author/LH)