Cleveland Born to Learn Program Helps Toddlers Develop Cognitive and Behavioral Skills
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland conducted a randomized, controlled evaluation of the Cleveland Eastern Suburban Born to Learn™ Program between 1999 and 2005.
Born to Learn is a neuroscience-enhanced home visiting curriculum delivered by parent educators to parents with children from birth to age 3. Researchers compared child and parent outcomes for a group receiving Born to Learn versus a group receiving a basic parent support program; they analyzed results for both the total sample and for families with low socioeconomic status versus middle/high socioeconomic status.
Key Findings
24- and 36-month-old children whose parents received Born to Learn demonstrated higher levels of mastery motivation (attempts to solve a problem or master a skill independently with focus and persistence) and social skills than did those who did not receive the program.
Among families with low socioeconomic status, 24-month-old children who received Born to Learn showed significantly higher levels of cognitive development and more adaptive behavior than those who did not.