The effects of ProVaka and Papilio interventions on children’s behavior and educator feedback: A cluster-randomized controlled trial in early childhood education and care

• Published in: Journal of Early Childhood Education Research 2024-06, Vol.13 (2)
• Main Authors: Noora Heiskanen, Anne Karhu, Merja Koivula, Päivi Moisio, Hannu Savolainen, Ville Vauhkonen, Vesa Närhi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: children's behavior; educator feedback; intervention effectiveness; social-emotional learning
• ISSN: 2323-7414
• DOI: 10.58955/jecer.132008

Evidence-based interventions can develop social and emotional competencies and foster social relationships during early childhood. In this paper, we explored the efficacy, implementation fidelity, and social validity of two systemic, preventive social-emotional learning interventions in Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC)—ProVaka and Papilio—after their initial nine weeks of implementation. ProVaka is an application of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support that provides general guidelines for the development of social-emotional skills. Alongside general guidelines, the Papilio intervention also utilizes ready-made lesson plans and play-based measures. In this study, 80 ECEC classes from 39 ECEC centers participated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. We measured educators’ feedback, children’s behavior, social validity, and implementation fidelity. The results indicate effects particularly on educator-reported child behavior and educators’ feedback on certain observed areas when the systemic interventions were implemented with sufficient fidelity. Further, both interventions seem well suitable for Finnish ECEC context.