ABSTRACT
This chapter examines some of the literature on early intervention programs and their short and long-term results. In a publication, H. Greenspan and William Alanson White have examined concerns about the efficacy of early intervention programs, pointing out that question about their success have increased along with their proliferation. Preventive interventions also are being used increasingly with children at risk of or with established physical and mental handicaps. Greenspan and White1 note that, "There is compelling evidence that preventive intervention results in a positive immediate effect across a range of outcome variables and for many different types of children and intervention programs". They believe that effects reported may well be lower than those actually achieved; this is because most investigators focused primarily on outcomes of cognitive functioning and largely ignored outcomes such as social competence, and adaptability, which are closely related to the goals of most intervention programs.
