Virtual Mom Power for Family Support

Overseen By Sarah A Gray, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Tulane University

Disqualifiers: Heart condition, Pacemaker, Autism, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 16

Duration: 10 weeks

500 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests Virtual Mom Power, an online program for mothers with mental health issues and parenting stress. It aims to improve their well-being by providing social support, parenting education, self-care techniques, guided parent-child activities, and connecting them to care resources.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have active substance use or psychosis, you may not be eligible to participate.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Mom Power, Mom Power Informational Mailing?

Research on similar interventions, like the perioperative nurse liaison program, shows that improving communication and support for families can reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, virtual family meetings in intensive care units have been linked to increased family satisfaction, suggesting that virtual support can be effective in family-centered care. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the treatment 'Virtual Mom Power for Family Support' different from other treatments for postpartum support?

Virtual Mom Power is unique because it offers support through virtual groups, allowing mothers to connect and share experiences online, which can be more accessible and flexible compared to traditional in-person support groups. This approach is designed to reduce stress and improve psychological well-being by fostering authentic connections and providing ongoing support, making it particularly beneficial for mothers with demanding schedules. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Research Team

Sarah A Gray, PhD

Principal Investigator

Tulane University

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for mothers aged at least 18, living in the New Orleans area with a child aged 3-5. They must be primary caregivers, speak English, and enrolled in certain assistance programs like SNAP or Medicaid. It's not for those with heart conditions, pacemakers, children with autism/global delays, active substance use or psychosis in the mother, or non-biological mothers.

Inclusion Criteria

I am the main person taking care of my child.

My mother speaks English.

Family resides within 8 parish New Orleans metro area

Exclusion Criteria

Either I or my child has been diagnosed with a heart condition.

Child diagnosis of autism or global developmental delay

My mother is not my biological mother.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a 10-week group-based intervention or 10 weeks of informational mailings, with individual home-based sessions

10 weeks

10 virtual group sessions, 2 individual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in maternal and child outcomes, including social support, psychopathology, and biobehavioral regulation

6 months

Assessments at post-intervention and 6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Mom Power
• Mom Power Informational Mailing

Trial Overview The study tests 'virtual Mom Power (MP)', a group-based program aimed at helping high-adversity moms and kids by focusing on relationships. Participants will either receive MP or just informational mailings about it to see which helps more.

Participant Groups

Group I: Treatment Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The experimental arm of Virtual Mom Power is a manualized multi-family group intervention consisting of 10, 90-minute virtual group + 2 individual sessions led by two co-facilitators. The curriculum includes 5 core components: (1) Attachment-Focused Parenting Education; (2) Self-Care; (3) Parenting Practice; (4) Social Support; \& (5) Connection to Resources. Individual sessions combine motivational interviewing with MP core components and focus on identifying goals and barriers. We will work with mothers in individual coaching to problem-solve childcare and privacy during group time. Weekly between-group phone/text check-ins are also a part of the curriculum, used to strengthen connection, build trust, ensure safety, and assess basic needs. Data regarding attendance will be recorded and total dosage examined in treatment effects.

Group II: Informational control Active Control 1 Intervention

The control arm of this study consists of two individual sessions with mothers, along with 10 weeks of virtual informational mailings. The mailings will contain Mom Power curriculum about attachment-based parenting and self-care. The individual sessions will focus on individual goal-setting related to parenting and reflection on the parent-child relationship. The control group does not include the components of social support, affect regulation skills coaching, or guided parent-child interaction that are part of the experimental arm.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tulane University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

129

Recruited

259,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

Findings from Research

In a study involving 800 women, the web-based intervention 'Be a Mom' was found to be acceptable for both high-risk and low-risk new mothers, although only 27.9% of high-risk and 36.3% of low-risk participants completed the program.

Women in the high-risk group reported finding the program more demanding, suggesting that time constraints may hinder completion rates; thus, developing shorter versions and engagement strategies could improve participation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Be a Mom: Patterns of Program Usage and Acceptability Among Women With Low-Risk and High-Risk for Postpartum Depression. Xavier, S., Monteiro, F., Canavarro, MC., et al.[2022]

References

1. Brazil pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nursing intervention to meet the family members' needs during the surgery waiting time. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluating Enhancements to a Perioperative Nurse Liaison Program. [2018]

3. Italy pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meeting the needs of cancer patients: is there a need for an organizational change? [2016]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study of audiovisual family meetings in the intensive care unit. [2022]

5. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reinventing patient-centered computing for the twenty-first century. [2008]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Young Parents Project: a 21st-century nursing intervention. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parental support: mothers' experience of electronic encounters. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Toward fostering resilience on a large scale: Connecting communities of caregivers. [2020]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Be a Mom: Patterns of Program Usage and Acceptability Among Women With Low-Risk and High-Risk for Postpartum Depression. [2022]

10. Scotland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A qualitative study exploring the support needs of first-time mothers on their journey towards intuitive parenting. [2022]