Effect of Early Intervention on Developmental Domains and Parent-Child Interaction Among Children With Developmental Delay: A Randomized Controlled Study

The scope of early intervention (EI) programs, which mostly focus on motor skills, needs to be expanded. To examine the effects of an EI on developmental domains and parent-child interactions. Randomized controlled study. Children ages 24-36 mo with developmental delay (DD; intervention group, n = 30; control group, n = 40). Pediatric occupational therapy unit of Hacettepe University. The intervention group received an intervention that used the Goal Activity and Motor Enrichment (GAME) approach and a home program, whereas the control group received a home program only. Both groups received the same intervention dosage. Developmental domains were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Third Edition (Bayley III) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ). Sensory processing was assessed with the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile 2 (ITSP-2), social-emotional development with the ASQ:Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE), and parent-child interaction with the Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO™). A compliance checklist was used to determine compliance with the home program. A significant between-groups difference was found on all Bayley III and PICCOLO subscales and on the Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Problem-Solving, and Social-Emotional domains of the ASQ and ASQ:SE in favor of the intervention group (p