Nutrition Education and Psychosocial Stimulation Improves Child Development in Rural Early Childhood Education in Indonesia

Abstract

Early childhood education (Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini-PAUD) in Indonesia is an educational effort intended to preschool-aged children through stimulation to support children's growth and development. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nutrition and psychosocial stimulation to the child development in rural PAUD. A quasi-experimental design consisted baseline and end-line data collections of control (baseline: n=68; end-line: n=61) and intervention (baseline: n=69; end-line: n=63) groups of children under five years and their mothers were investigated for 12 months following the nutrition education and psychosocial stimulation. In addition, the investigation also carried out to the teachers at PAUDs. The study was conducted at 6 PAUDs in Dramaga Sub-district (control) and 4 PAUDs in Tamansari Sub-district (intervention) in the City of Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. The outcomes included characteristics of study participants, mothers' nutritional knowledge-attitude-practice, mothers' and teachers' psychosocial stimulation knowledge and practice, children's nutritional status and development. Nutrition education increase mothers' nutritional knowledge score of 4.7 points (p< 0.01). Child development score was greater in intervention group (p< 0.001). The intervention could withstand the decline in body mass index for age z-scores (BAZ) (p= 0.017). The intervention improves mothers' nutritional knowledge and practice, mothers' and teacher's psychosocial knowledge and practice, and child development. The intervention can be successfully implemented by mothers and teachers in rural PAUD.