Project EVA

Evaluation of two Prevention Programs with High Risk Children in Kindergarten

As many studies in the fields of empirical infant research, relationship research and psychoanalysis demonstrate, the experience of stable emotional relationships in the first years of one’s life is the best precondition for a successful psychical, cognitive and psychosocial development, including the acquisition of language. Numerous prevention programs follow these empirical findings and try to support children already at kindergarten age; yet such offers do not reach all families, as families with a migration background are, for instance, unaware of such programs. Against this background, the project EVA assesses the differential effects of two established prevention programs – FAUSTLOS (“FISTLESS”) and EARLY STEPS. Both prevention projects run in seven day-care centers. The aim of the study is to review whether the additional expenses for the prevention offer 1 “EARLY STEPS” can be justified with regard to short- and long-term effects; or, in other words: What are the advantages and disadvantages of both prevention programs? In September 2011 a replication of the EVA-study was initiated.

Selected Publications

Leuzinger-Bohleber, M., Fischmann, T., Läzer, K. L., Pfenning-Meerkötter, N., Wolff, A., & Green, J. (2011). Frühprävention psychosozialer Störungen bei Kindern mit belasteten Kindheiten. Psyche, 65, 989–1022.

Leuzinger-Bohleber, M., Fischmann, T., Neubert, V., Hartmann, L., Läzer, K. L., Pfenning-Meerkötter, N., … Ackermann, P. (2014). Project Eva: Evaluation of two prevention programs with high-risk children in Kindergarten. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 62, 29-31. doi:10.1177/0003065114539553

Leuzinger-Bohleber, M., Läzer, K. L., & Pfenning-Meerkötter, N. (2011). Frühprävention – Gesellschaftliche Notwendigkeit und Chance: Erste Ergebnisse des “EVA”-Projekts belegen positive Effekte zweier Präventionsprogramme – Enge Kooperation mit Frankfurter Kindertagesstätten. Forschung Frankfurt, 29, 26–31.