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Abstract
This study carries forward the exploration of joint attention engagement in children from 18 to 24 months of age enrolled in ‘low‐quality’ childcare centers. Childcare providers and children were videotaped to capture social interactions in the classroom including duration and bids for joint attention. One‐half of 48 childcare providers were randomly assigned to receive professional development training (PDT) (the Focus‐Follow‐Talk® technique) designed to increase the frequency of joint attention. Three months after the PDT and three coaching visits for each subject in the treatment group, 30 minutes of videotape was recorded and coded for each childcare provider in the treatment and control groups. Significant findings were reported for the trained childcare providers on joint attention engagement duration and total bids for joint attention engagement. There was also evidence supportive of joint attention subtypes.
Acknowledgements
This study was part of a dissertation by the first author. The authors are grateful for the many childcare center directors and providers in and around McClellan County, Texas who participated in this study.
Notes
1. The Focus–Follow–Talk™ procedure is not a proprietary intervention. The trademark symbol is used to discourage the procedure’s use without author permission at this time. At some time in the future, perhaps it will become a marketable or proprietary intervention—especially after more research. We welcome other researchers to build upon our work. Copies of the JAOCS protocol can be obtained by contacting the lead author.
2. Due to the small number of subjects, each of the analyses discussed in this results section was duplicated using a Mann–Whitney non‐parametric U test. In every case, the results of the Mann–Whitney U test agreed with the outcome of the t test.