Sosyal Geri Çekilme Davranış Gösteren Erken Çocukluk Dönemindeki Çocuklar İçin Hazırlanmış Erken Müdahale Programlarının Değerlendirilmesi: Bir Meta-Analiz Çalışması

Abstract

This thesis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of early intervention programs targeting social withdrawal behaviors in children during early childhood (0-8 years). To achieve this, the study seeks to answer the following research questions: What early intervention programs have been implemented for children exhibiting social withdrawal behaviors? What are the characteristics of these programs? What is the effect size of these programs? Are there moderating variables influencing the effectiveness of these programs, and if so, what are these variables? Social withdrawal behaviors, including shyness, social avoidance, social isolation, and behavioral inhibition, can lead to various developmental challenges in children. This research synthesizes findings from different interventions, evaluates their overall impact, and aims to identify the moderating variables affecting their effectiveness. The meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The results indicate that early interventions generally have a positive impact on reducing social withdrawal behaviors, although significant differences exist between studies. While some interventions were found to significantly reduce social withdrawal, others demonstrated limited effects. The overall effect size, calculated using a random-effects model, was -0.2808, indicating a statistically significant reduction in social withdrawal behaviors in intervention groups compared to control groups. However, high heterogeneity (I² = 80.79%) highlights the need for further exploration of methodological and contextual differences. These findings suggest that structured early intervention programs can be effective in reducing social withdrawal behaviors and should be tailored to meet individual and contextual needs. Future research should examine the influence of factors such as parental involvement, program duration, and cultural differences in greater detail.