This study explores the problem of maintaining personal-social gains made by children in a long-term family enrichment day care and home visitation program for low income, mainly single-parent families. A prior study of program participants at 3 years of age indicated that they compared favorably to matched contrast children in other preschool programs on several dimensions of Emmerich's Observer Ratings of Personal-Social Behaviors (EORP-SB). Subsequent follow-up studies of 37 kindergarten and 20 first grade children with the EORP-SB showed that at first grade a new set of behaviors emerged among program graduates, and that preschool program gains which remained evident in the kindergarten sample were declining among first grade program graduates. In particular, program children in preschool and kindergarten smiled and laughed more than their matches, while in first grade the contrast group smiled more. Further, the first grade children who were program graduates seemed to seek adult attention in negative as well as positive ways. It is concluded that the transition between preschool program teacher interaction styles and elementary school classroom conditions may be too stressful for many young children, particularly for children from at-risk families. Institutional changes may be necessary if preschool enrichment program gains are to be maintained. (Author/RH)