Young adults from low-income families who received full-time early educational child care from infancy to age 5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than their peers who were not in this type of care, according to a report by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill appearing in the May-June issue of the journal Child Development.

The study followed 111 high-risk children starting in 1972 who were randomly assigned to a control group or a group placed in child development care.

"The early intervention does not appear to have changed home environments," said study author Frances Campbell, a senior scientist at the university. "Rather, it buffered, or protected, the children from the adverse effects of less optimal early home environments.

"This evidence, indicating that good early childhood experiences can make a positive difference in the mental health of individuals born into poverty, underscores the importance of investing in high-quality early childhood experiences for poor children."