Latent Profile Moderation: Examining the Differential Impact of a Small-Group Emergent Literacy Intervention

AbstractPreschool children considered at risk for future reading difficulties experience unique and complex combinations of risk factors. In this exploratory study, we used latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate the underlying classifications of children identified as at-risk for reading difficulties (N = 281) along selected cognitive, psychological, ecological, and child-related characteristics. We then used latent profile moderation, a methodology that extends the extensive prior literature on LPA, to explore for whom a supplemental, small-group emergent literacy intervention yielded effects. Latent profile moderation allowed us to explore whether specific subgroups of children characterized by multiple risk factors made significantly greater gains from the intervention than others. We identified four distinct profiles of preschool children considered at risk for reading difficulties, and the four profiles varied across cognitive, psychological, and ecological factors as well as on emergent literacy outcomes at the end of preschool. Further, we found a significant, moderate effect of the intervention on children’s letter writing in Profile 1. Thus, latent profile moderation analysis may help clarify the dynamic interplay of multiple salient factors relative to intervention outcomes and identify for whom interventions are effective. Disclosure statementAlida Hudson is now a K-12 Literacy Researcher in the Educators and Instruction program of the Human Services Division at American Institutes for Research (AIR). Jessica A. R. Logan is now in the Department of Special Education at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.Nemours receives royalties through the sale of the commercially available curriculum involved in this research. The potential for bias in reporting study results was minimized through the adoption of the following precautions, as outlined in the investigators’ signed Memorandum of Understanding: (a) Nemours’ institutional responsibilities for this grant were limited to instructor professional development curriculum training and implementation fidelity monitoring, including the development and maintenance of the implementation fidelity database for this study, (b) Nemours investigators Zettler-Greeley, Bailet (affiliated with Nemours until April, 2018; now retired from Kaplan Early Learning Company as of June, 2021), and Lewis had no role in participant/site recruitment or data collection for the study, were blind to classroom and participant study assignment, and did not participate in data analyses concerning program impacts, (c) The Ohio State University (OSU) investigators conducted all data analyses concerning impacts of the Nemours BrightStart! program, and (d) OSU investigators retained the final decision as to the findings and interpretation that are reported.Additional informationFundingThe research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305A160261 awarded to The Ohio State University (Piasta). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the research project staff, the cooperation of the Ready4Success initiative as led by Shelby Dowdy, and the early childhood professionals, children, and families without whom this research would not be possible.