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A large number of empirical studies illustrate the importance and efficacy of early prevention for children of kindergarten age. The literature reveals that securely attached children (compared to insecure ones) show better social behavior, less aggression, more creative problem solving skills, and better cognitive functioning in social interactions. However, these studies reveal little about the complex interplay of protective and high-risk factors in the early development of children. To better investigate this area, Project EVA addresses children exposed to various risk factors whose families come from problematic rural areas with high unemployment and migration rates and an overall low socioeconomic status.
Project EVA is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of two prevention programs with respect to the children's attachment patterns and psychosocial behavior. The two main research questions are (1) Does the psychoanalytically oriented program Frühe Schritte (Early Steps), which addresses the specific needs of the children and their families, lead to a significant decrease in psychopathological symptoms in children compared to the standardized prevention program called Faustlos (Fistless)? (2) Does Frühe Schritte increase the probability of a change in attachment pattern from insecure to secure compared to Faustlos?