Home motivation program effect on developmentally delayed Mexican-American children

This study was designed to test a Home Motivation Program curriculum and its effect on developmentally delayed Mexican-American children. The program attempted to provide the parents of the children with the competence needed to teach their children basic self help skills. Ten developmentally delayed Mexican-American children were chosen from the Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences Child Development Clinic in Houston, Texas to participate in the study. The children were between the ages of three and six, (4 girls and 6 boys). For eight weeks (twice a week), the researcher went into the homes of the children with an individualized home program based on an assessment of the child's developmental needs and parent's concerns. The Vineland Social Maturity Scale was utilized as a pre-post test measure of the children's self help skills. A case study of each child was done and descriptively analyzed. The study found that parents and children benefited from the home approach. The children's Vineland scores showed an increase of two to six months in social age. The parents became more effective in working with their children as shown by follow up interviews with them and with their child's school teacher. It was concluded that a Parent Counseling Program would increase its effectiveness. Further research in the use of the play technique approach and studies allowing for statistical analysis of the program's effectiveness is suggested.