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Reaching out and making a difference: The context of meaning in a home‐based preschool program
Author(s) -
Britt David W.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6629(199803)26:2<103::aid-jcop1>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - meaning (existential) , context (archaeology) , psychological intervention , norm (philosophy) , psychology , program director , significant difference , service (business) , pedagogy , medical education , medicine , political science , psychotherapist , history , business , law , psychiatry , marketing , archaeology
Two years in the operation of a local HIPPY (Home Instructional Program for Preschool Youngsters) are examined to highlight the impact of changed context on processes and impacts. Over the two years of operation, the program went from a staff consisting of a program director and paraprofessionals to an augmented staff which included a family support specialist. “Reaching out to families” and “making a difference” in their lives was a strong norm during both years of the program. The more resource‐rich service context present in the second year, however, altered the nature of problems observed, directness of interventions tried, and the meaning and limits of what it meant to reach out to families and make a difference in their lives. Alternative interpretations are briefly discussed and eliminated. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.