Peer-reviewed article

Supporting Trauma Awareness and Nurturing Children's Environments (STANCE): Findings from a Multilevel Community Intervention.

Leiferman JA, Powers J, LaRocca D, Scarbro S, Gelinas SS et al. · 14 Sept 2026

Abstract

Young children in early childhood education (ECE) settings frequently exhibit social-emotional challenges which can interfere with learning and long-term development. Supporting Trauma Awareness and Nurturing Children's Environments (STANCE) is a multilevel intervention designed to support teachers and caregivers in promoting young children's social-emotional development through evidence-based strategies. The objective of this paper is to describe the effectiveness of this intervention on child and parent outcomes in a rural, primarily Latine community. A hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation study design using a stepped-wedge cluster randomized design was conducted across 16 ECE centers. A total of 140 teachers received training and coaching on the Pyramid Model, a tiered framework that supports social-emotional development through universal, targeted, and individualized classroom practices, while 106 caregivers participated in Positive Solutions for Families (PSF) workshops to strengthen parenting practices. Child outcomes were assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) for 888 children at the beginning and end of the school year, while parenting outcomes were collected pre- and post PSF intervention. Using mixed effect models, implementation of the Pyramid Model intervention with teachers was associated with significant increases in children's social skills (Cooperation, Assertion, Empathy, Engagement, Responsibility, Communication, Self-Control, all p < .01). Using paired t-tests, caregivers who participated in PSF demonstrated significant increases in positive reinforcement, emotional literacy, and problem-solving strategies. These findings suggest that multilevel, preventive interventions targeting both teachers and caregivers in ECE settings can strengthen parenting and classroom practices, leading to improvements in children's social-emotional skills, particularly in underserved ECE settings.