The 2021-2022 Study of Family and Staff Experiences in American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey Programs (the 2021-2022 Study) builds on AIAN FACES 2019, a national study of children and families participating in Head Start programs funded through grants to federally recognized tribes and consortia. In the year following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need to understand how children, families, and Head Start staff were faring. The 2021-2022 Study explores this with some of the programs that participated in AIAN FACES 2019.
The American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AIAN FACES) provides information about children and families enrolled in Head Start programs operated by federally recognized tribes (known as Region XI AIAN Head Start). Nationally representative studies were conducted in the 2015-2016 and 2019-2020 program years (entered as NCT03842111 and NCT04046965, respectively). The motivation and goals of the 2021-2022 Study of Family and Staff Experiences in AIAN FACES Programs came from a need to learn about children's, families', and teachers' experiences as the COVID-19 pandemic continued affecting Region XI Head Start families' and staff's lives into another program year-and from recognizing the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on AIAN communities. The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funded Mathematica to conduct a new data collection effort, the 2021-2022 Study, for the fall and spring of the 2021-2022 program year. The goals were to provide data on the characteristics and needs of Region XI children, families, and staff starting 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide information to help better understand staff retention and turnover. The 2021-2022 Study includes data from a multistage sample of Region XI Head Start programs (based on the AIAN FACES 2019 sample), centers, teachers, and families from across the United States. Data from the 2021-2022 Study provide a window into the experiences of a small number of Region XI children, their families, and staff who were able to participate in data collection between October 2021 and July 2022. The data do not represent all Region XI Head Start children, their families, and staff nationally. They provide a snapshot of the experiences of children in Region XI Head Start children, their families, and staff during this difficult time.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
560
Mathematica
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
General health status
Indicators of physical well-being were assessed by parent report to a survey item on if child's health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor
Time frame: October 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Social-emotional development
Indicators of social-emotional development were assessed using teacher report of several items on children's positive and problem behaviors. Please see the 2021-2022 Study User's Manual (Reid et al. 2024) for more information on the scores and technical information.
Time frame: November 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Social-emotional development - Approaches to learning
Indicators of social-emotional development were assessed using teacher and parent report of approaches to learning using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten Class of 1998 (ECLS-K). The items assess a child's motivation, attention, organization, persistence, and independence in learning. Please see U.S. Department of Education 2002 for more information on the scores and technical properties.
Time frame: October 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Parents' depressive symptoms
Parents' levels of depressive symptoms were measured using the short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Please see Radloff 1977 for more information.
Time frame: October 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Teachers' depressive symptoms
Teachers' levels of depressive symptoms were measured using the short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Please see Radloff 1977 for more information.
Time frame: November 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Program directors' depressive symptoms
Program directors' levels of depressive symptoms were measured using the short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Please see Radloff 1977 for more information.
Time frame: April-July 2022
Center directors' depressive symptoms
Center directors' levels of depressive symptoms were measured using the short form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D). Please see Radloff 1977 for more information.
Time frame: April-July 2022
Parents' anxiety
Parents' and caregivers' anxiety levels were measured using items from the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Please see Spitzer et al. 2006 for more information.
Time frame: October 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Teachers' anxiety
Teachers' anxiety levels were measured using items from the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Please see Spitzer et al. 2006 for more information.
Time frame: November 2021-January 2022; April-July 2022
Program directors' anxiety
Program directors' anxiety levels were measured using items from the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Please see Spitzer et al. 2006 for more information.
Time frame: April-July 2022
Center directors' anxiety
Center directors' anxiety levels were measured using items from the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Please see Spitzer et al. 2006 for more information.
Time frame: April-July 2022
Staffing challenges
Staffing challenges were measured by summarizing center director survey items about the extent to which staff turnover has been a problem in terms of maintaining consistency in operations and care of children, and about finding classroom coverage and having enough staff to operate at full capacity.
Time frame: April-July 2022
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