RCT Results

TMW has conducted eleven randomized control trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental trials. Early results indicate TMW interventions are effective in increasing caregivers’ knowledge and encouraging behaviors that support young children’s brain development by enriching their language environments.

TMW-Home Visiting (1.0)

Our results showed that low-SES mothers were significantly more knowledgeable about young children’s cognitive and language development 1 week and 4 months after receiving the TMW 1.0 intervention. During the course of the intervention, these mothers provided more enriched home language environments such that they had more back-and-forth conversational interactions with their toddlers and their toddlers vocalized more than before. During a mother-child play session in a laboratory setting, these mothers and their toddlers used more different types of words with each other 1 week after the intervention; they also talked more about numbers, shapes and sizes with each other 1 week and 4 months after the intervention.

TMW-Newborn

Our findings revealed that mothers significantly gained knowledge about infant brain, cognitive, and language development 1 day and 4-6 weeks after the intervention. The impact on knowledge gain was largest among high-SES and middle-SES English-speaking mothers, and moderate among low-SES Spanish-speaking mothers. Importantly, mothers of all SES/languages learned strategies for fostering infant secure attachment and language acquisition from the intervention. They were also more likely than others to recognize the importance of timely follow-up for infants who failed the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening.

Cog-X

We are finding that children and parents receiving Cog-X curriculum significantly improve in cognitive abilities, increasing their readiness for Kindergarten. The impact on knowledge gain is highest among children who start the program with below-average cognitive abilities. The impact is large even for the shorter version of the Cog-X program – Kinderprep – which is implemented for 2 months prior to the start of Kindergarten. We are continuing to explore the long-term effects of these programs.

TMW-Home Visiting (2.0)

Preliminary results showed that low-SES mothers were significantly more knowledgeable about young children’s cognitive and language development immediately and 6 months after receiving the TMW 2.0 intervention. Throughout the course of the intervention, these mothers provided more enriched home language environments such that they had more back-and-forth conversational interactions with their toddlers. Check out the most recent findings from our ongoing longitudinal study here.

TMW-Well Baby

Preliminary results showed that low-SES mothers who received the TMW-WB intervention had significantly higher levels of knowledge immediately after the intervention, at the 6-month well baby visit. Interestingly, the impact of intervention on knowledge gain was larger among the Spanish-speaking TMW-WB caregivers, compared with the English-speaking TMW-WB caregivers.

For more information about our research and findings, download the TMW Research Case Statement.