Family Adaptation: The Goal of Promoting Resiliency In Head Start Families

Two family-centered approaches were evaluated: the Natural Teaching Strategies Approach (NTS) and the Cooperative Family Learning Approach (CFL). Each was paired with the Family-Centred Assessment and Intervention Approach (FAA). Factors likely to be protective of family resiliency helped to conceptualize the expected effects. The Family Adaptation Model was employed to operationalize the expected outcomes and to direct selection and development of appropriate measures. A factorial repeated-measures design with three conditions (NTS, CFL, and Comparison) evaluated treatment effects at baseline and 6 months. All subject families had children enrolled in a local Head Start program. Gains in measures of family adaptation and appraisals were found for the groups exposed to the family-centered approaches. Correlational analysis of the data lent continued support to the utility of the Family Adaptation Model. Implications for practice with at-risk families are discussed, as is the utility of resiliency as a health- promotion tool.