Text Message Reminders + Literacy Promotion for Childhood Language Development

Overseen By Jennifer Hemler, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Disqualifiers: Genetic disorders, Developmental delays, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 9 months

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how text message reminders and access to community resources can boost language and social skills in low-income Latino children. The study compares three approaches: standard literacy promotion (usual care including ROR), literacy promotion with added text messages, and literacy promotion with both text messages and community resource connections. It seeks caregivers of Latino children aged 6 to 12 months who are open to receiving text messages and have a cell phone. The trial aims to determine if these interventions can impact early childhood development. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance early childhood development strategies.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that using text messages as reminders is generally safe and effective. Studies have found that text reminders can help parents keep up with vaccinations without any safety issues. For instance, parents who received text reminders were more likely to vaccinate their children. This indicates that text messaging is not only safe but also a useful tool for improving health.

Connecting families with community resources aims to make it easier for them to access support services. This approach helps create better environments for children by providing families with the assistance they need. There are no safety concerns with this method; it primarily focuses on improving access to resources.

Overall, both text messaging and connecting with community resources are safe methods that have shown positive effects in other situations. They are designed to support families without introducing any new risks. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores innovative ways to boost childhood language development using technology and community support. Unlike the standard practice of promoting literacy through programs like Reach Out and Read (ROR), this trial includes sending regular text message reminders to parents, which helps reinforce the importance of language activities at home. Furthermore, one arm of the trial connects families to a centralized system for accessing community resources, potentially reducing barriers related to poverty. This comprehensive approach not only supports literacy but also addresses broader socio-economic challenges, offering a holistic solution that could significantly enhance children's language skills.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for childhood language development?

Studies have shown that text message reminders, one of the interventions in this trial, can greatly improve early reading skills in children, especially in low-income areas. These messages provide parents with tips to help them read with their kids. Another intervention connects families to local resources, which research indicates boosts children's language and social skills. These resources help create a supportive environment for learning and growth. Together, these methods, as tested in this trial, aim to effectively strengthen young children's reading and language abilities. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Manuel E Jimenez, MD, MS

Principal Investigator

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This study is for Latino/a/x primary caregivers, aged 18 or older, who speak English or Spanish and own a cell phone. They must care for a child between 6-12 months old and be willing to receive texts and join one of three study groups. It's not for those planning to leave their pediatric clinic soon, unable to consent, or with children having certain congenital/genetic disorders.

Inclusion Criteria

You own a cell phone.

I am willing to be assigned to any of the study groups.

Primary language English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria

My child has genetic disorders and developmental delays.

Discontinued care at one of the three pediatric clinics / recruitment sites

I plan to stop receiving care at my current children's clinic.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive literacy promotion interventions, including Reach Out and Read (ROR), tailored outreach text messages, and enhanced access to community resources

9 months

Regular visits as part of primary care

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for language and social-emotional skill acquisition, as well as other outcomes

9 months

Long-term Follow-up

Continued monitoring of child development outcomes and caregiver engagement

18 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Connection to community resources
• Text messages
• Usual care including ROR

Trial Overview The trial examines if special text messages combined with access to resources that reduce poverty can boost language and social skills in low-income Latino children when added to standard literacy promotion in primary care.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: ROR plus text messages plus connection to community resources Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

In addition to ROR and text messages, participants will be referred to a county-based single point of entry system for referrals to community resources. This system simplifies access to poverty-reducing resources by creating a centralized access point, maintaining an updated data base of resources with existing capacity to support families, and providing case management.

Group II: ROR plus text messages Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

In addition to ROR, participants will receive three text messages per week, plus one interactive follow-up message per month, for the study period with scheduled breaks.

Group III: Usual care including ROR Active Control 1 Intervention

Literacy promotion is a pediatric standard of care. Participants in this group will receive usual care that includes ROR, a primary care literacy promotion intervention.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Lead Sponsor

Trials

471

Recruited

81,700+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10236559/

Effects of Early Literacy Promotion on Child Language ... Overall 82% of early literacy promotion participants received books/counseling at well visits <6 months old. Children in the early literacy promotion arm had ...

2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20623249/

Effectiveness of a coordinated community effort to promote ... The purpose of this study is to report on the effectiveness of a coordinated, community-wide intervention to promote early literacy behaviors with low-income ...

3. odphp.health.gov odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/early-childhood-development-and-education

Early Childhood Development and Education Children from communities with higher socioeconomic status and more resources experience safer and more supportive environments and better early education ...

4. cete.osu.edu cete.osu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Early-Literacy-Research-Brief-July-2021.pdf

Partnering with Families for Early Language and Literacy Research demonstrates that family support for language and literacy activities at home is positively related to children's outcomes, including reading ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0885200620300375

Investigation of the effectiveness of a community-based ... Using longitudinal growth curve modeling, we found significant growth in weekly estimates in adult language input to children, conversational turn-taking, and ...

6. aap.org aap.org/en/patient-care/early-childhood/early-childhood-health-and-development/early-literacy/?srsltid=AfmBOoq45NBkfCNZ1Ht0gqcUXjVLxiRhWzIPVZNhS_Byz0MdSc5krgCK

Early Literacy Research has shown that reading together with infants and young children significantly strengthens their relationships with parents and caregivers.

7. zerotothree.org zerotothree.org/resource/a-window-to-the-world-early-language-and-literacy-development/

A Window to the World: Early Language and Literacy ... Positive early language and literacy development can give children a window to the world, helping to ensure that each child can seize his or her potential for ...