Child-Focused Interventions to Promote the Academic and Social-Behavioral Competence of Rural Preschool Children: A Meta-Analysis

Interventions targeting young children's development may be uniquely impactful in rural areas where resources may be sparse. Following an expansive review of the literature of over 2,200 potential studies, this meta-analysis synthesized the impacts of child-focused interventions implemented within rural settings on key preschool developmental outcomes across 14 experimental/quasi-experimental studies and 90 effects. Random effects models with robust variance estimation revealed that interventions had a significant and moderate impact across child developmental outcomes (delta = 0.44) and for both academic/cognitive (delta = 0.52) and social-behavioral competence (delta = 0.34). Additionally, moderation analyses indicated results to be more pronounced for preschool students of color and students enrolled in Head Start, although findings should be considered in relation to the small sample of included studies. Multicomponent interventions and interventions employing family engagement were also found to significantly contribute to preschool developmental outcomes. Practical implications, study limitations, and future directions are discussed. Impact Statement Child development can be critically supported with interventions addressing academic, behavioral, and/or social-emotional outcomes. Child-focused interventions may be especially impactful in rural areas where key resources may be sparse. The current meta-analysis synthesized key findings of empirical research in this area and offers value insights for school personnel supporting preschool children's development in rural areas.