Support Programs for Domestic Violence

Overseen By Nicole Letourneau, PhD RN

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Manitoba

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

160 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to evaluate two programs designed for Indigenous mothers and their children affected by intimate partner violence in Canada. The Indigenous Mother's Empowerment Program and Indigenous Kid's Club Program focus on providing support and empowerment. Participants will help determine how these programs can best serve families dealing with domestic violence. Mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence, speak English, and have at least one school-aged child are well-suited for this trial. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to culturally sensitive support solutions for Indigenous families.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

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

What prior data suggests that these programs are safe for Indigenous mothers and children?

Research shows that the Indigenous Kid's Club Program and the Indigenous Mother's Empowerment Program are designed to assist Indigenous mothers and children who have experienced intimate partner violence. These programs do not involve traditional medical treatments, so "safety" in the usual medical sense doesn't apply.

However, these programs are based on earlier models that were positively received and considered safe for participants. They focus on providing emotional and social support without any physical treatments, resulting in no known physical side effects. Participants in similar programs have not reported negative effects related to the program's content or delivery.

The programs aim to improve coping skills and emotional well-being. They achieve this through group sessions and community support, which past studies have shown to be well-tolerated and beneficial for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Indigenous Kid's Club Program and the Indigenous Mother's Empowerment Program because they offer culturally tailored support specifically for Indigenous families affected by domestic violence. Unlike typical interventions that might not consider cultural contexts, these programs are designed to resonate with Indigenous values and experiences, potentially leading to more effective engagement and outcomes. By focusing on empowerment and community, these programs aim to strengthen family bonds and foster resilience, offering a unique and promising approach to addressing domestic violence in Indigenous communities.

What evidence suggests that the Indigenous Mother's Empowerment Program and Kid's Club Program could be effective for Indigenous mothers and children affected by intimate partner violence?

Research has shown that the Indigenous Kid's Club Program and the Indigenous Mother's Empowerment Program positively impact families dealing with intimate partner violence. One study with 181 children and their mothers found these programs helpful in addressing domestic violence issues. In this trial, participants will join a wait list control and receive the intervention after a 12-week delay. The Kid's Club Program aids children aged 6-12 in understanding and expressing their feelings. The Mother's Empowerment Program enhances mothers' parenting skills and emotional health. Together, these programs are linked to improved social and emotional well-being for both mothers and children. Overall, evidence suggests these programs effectively support and empower Indigenous families facing intimate partner violence. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Caroline Piotrowski, PhD MPH

Principal Investigator

University of Manitoba

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Indigenous mothers in Canada who speak English and have experienced intimate partner violence. They must have at least one child of school age to participate.

Inclusion Criteria

Mothers with self-reported experience of past intimate partner violence, English-speaking, with at least one school-aged child

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants engage in the adapted Mother's Empowerment Program and Kid's Club Program

12 weeks

Weekly sessions

Wait List Control

Participants receive intervention after a 12-week delay

12 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mental and physical health and well-being

6-8 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Indigenous Kid's Club Program
• Indigenous Mother's Empowerment Program

Trial Overview

The study is testing two programs: the Mother's Empowerment Program and the Kid's Club Program, both tailored for Indigenous families affected by domestic violence.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Wait List Control Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants receive intervention after 12 week delay

Indigenous Kid's Club Program is already approved in Canada for the following indications:

Approved in Canada as Healing Circles Program for:

• Support for Indigenous mothers and children affected by intimate partner violence

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Manitoba

Lead Sponsor

Trials

628

Recruited

209,000+

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Collaborator

Trials

1,417

Recruited

26,550,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Substance use among pregnant and parenting Aboriginal women is a significant public health issue, often linked to trauma and the effects of colonization, highlighting the need for gender-specific treatment programs.

Integrated programs like New Choices and Sheway, which combine addiction treatment with pregnancy and parenting services, are essential for addressing the unique challenges faced by Aboriginal mothers with substance use issues, yet there is a lack of research on their effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment Issues for Aboriginal Mothers with Substance Use Problems and Their Children. Niccols, A., Dell, CA., Clarke, S.[2023]

Indigenous intimate partner violence (IPV) advocates play a crucial role in supporting Indigenous women by leveraging their personal experiences with IPV to foster resilience and healing.

The study highlights how these advocates' journeys of overcoming intergenerational trauma not only empower them but also enhance the effectiveness of the services they provide to their clients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"I Believed in Myself More Than Anything." Indigenous Intimate Partner Violence Advocates Promote Resiliency Among Clients. Holder, M.[2023]

There is a significant and poorly quantified higher risk of family violence in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, particularly affecting women, which is compounded by the rising HIV epidemic in these populations.

To address domestic violence effectively, a comprehensive prevention research platform is proposed, focusing on culturally specific research, systematic reviews of interventions, community-specific intervention theories, ethical considerations, and the development of effective methods.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Family Violence and the Need for Prevention Research in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Communities. Andersson, N., Nahwegahbow, A.[2021]

The Aboriginal Infant Development Program (AIDP) in British Columbia effectively supported Indigenous families by transforming policies and practices to encourage active caregiver engagement, as revealed through interviews with 35 participants including caregivers and program workers.

Key themes identified in the study—overcoming mistrust, willingness to progress, and resisting assumptions—highlight the importance of cultural safety in engaging families facing social and structural challenges, offering insights applicable to similar programs worldwide.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Engaging Indigenous families in a community-based Indigenous early childhood programme in British Columbia, Canada: A cultural safety perspective. Gerlach, AJ., Browne, AJ., Greenwood, M.[2019]

The systematic review identified various interventions aimed at preventing family violence in Aboriginal communities, including primary prevention strategies like parenting programs and role modeling, as well as secondary prevention measures such as alcohol trading restrictions and home visiting for high-risk families.

Most studies reviewed provided a low level of evidence, indicating a need for more robust research to better understand the effectiveness of these interventions in reducing family violence.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reduction of Family Violence in Aboriginal Communities: A Systematic Review of Interventions and Approaches. Shea, B., Nahwegahbow, A., Andersson, N.[2021]

The Family Wellbeing (FWB) program significantly improved empowerment among child protection staff in remote Indigenous communities, with a 17% positive change measured by the Growth and Empowerment Measure (GEM) after a three-day workshop.

The GEM was identified as the most effective tool for measuring the impact of empowerment programs, outperforming other assessment tools in detecting improvements in communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An empowerment intervention for Indigenous communities: an outcome assessment. Kinchin, I., Jacups, S., Tsey, K., et al.[2021]

The study involved interviews with eleven women who support rural women facing domestic violence, highlighting the unique challenges faced by Indigenous women due to historical colonization and human rights abuses.

The findings emphasize the need for tailored support strategies for Aboriginal families experiencing violence, suggesting that understanding the cultural context is crucial for effective intervention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Voices from the margins Part 1: narrative accounts of indigenous family violence. Davis, K., Taylor, B.[2021]

Participation in the Family Wellbeing Program is associated with improved community empowerment outcomes, such as higher family functioning (13% increase), greater cultural participation (74% increase), and increased local decision-making (21% increase) compared to non-participants.

Family Wellbeing participants reported lower health risk factors, including higher rates of regular exercise (67.7% vs. 66.3%) and reduced alcohol use (26.4% vs. 20.4%), suggesting potential benefits for individual health and wellbeing, although further research is needed to establish causality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exposure to the Family Wellbeing program and associations with empowerment, health, family and cultural wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: a cross-sectional analysis. Williamson, LM., Baird, L., Tsey, K., et al.[2023]

The study involved 14 mothers of children in a pediatric intensive care unit, revealing that all participants experienced at least one phase of empowerment in their caregiving process.

Mothers who reached the phase of participatory competence were able to effectively communicate their needs and opinions to the healthcare team, highlighting the importance of attentive listening and information sharing for their empowerment in care decisions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Empowerment of the mothers of children in a pediatric intensive care unit. Azevedo, MSN., Oliveira, ICDS., Souza, TV., et al.[2018]

The adapted Family Wellbeing empowerment program for Indigenous school children in remote Queensland led to significant social and emotional growth, including improved analytical skills and a stronger sense of identity among students.

Feedback from students and teachers indicated a reduction in teasing and bullying, highlighting the program's effectiveness in fostering a supportive school environment and enhancing personal development.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adapting the 'family wellbeing' empowerment program to the needs of remote indigenous school children. Tsey, K., Whiteside, M., Daly, S., et al.[2022]

A mothers' empowerment program significantly improved the daily weight gain of premature infants, with the intervention group gaining an average of 3.95 grams per day compared to a loss of 0.9 grams in the control group.

The program also reduced the average duration of hospitalization for infants, with those in the intervention group staying 15.45 days compared to 20.95 days in the control group, indicating that better maternal readiness can lead to improved outcomes for premature infants.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of mothers' empowerment program on premature infants' weight gain and duration of hospitalization. Mohammaddoost, F., Mosayebi, Z., Peyrovi, H., et al.[2020]

The adapted Nurse Family Partnership Program (FPP) in an Aboriginal community in Central Australia significantly reduced child protection system involvement among children of younger mothers (≤20 years) and first-time mothers, with lower rates of reports, investigations, and substantiations compared to a control group.

FPP children experienced fewer days in out-of-home care, indicating that the program may effectively support vulnerable populations, particularly in reducing the need for child protection interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Child protection outcomes of the Australian Nurse Family Partnership Program for Aboriginal infants and their mothers in Central Australia. Segal, L., Nguyen, H., Gent, D., et al.[2021]

Indigenous women's experiences of leaving intimate partner violence are deeply influenced by their unique contexts, including state-Indigenous relations and the impact of complex trauma, stigma, and discrimination.

The study highlights the importance of kinship, community ties, and connections to the land in shaping these women's decisions, suggesting that effective support services must consider these cultural and social factors to be safe and appropriate.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Violence at the Intersections of Women's Lives in an Urban Context: Indigenous Women's Experiences of Leaving and/or Staying With an Abusive Partner. Smye, V., Varcoe, C., Browne, AJ., et al.[2022]

The Safe Homes Safe Kids program, developed by the Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service, effectively increased child safety knowledge and improved home safety environments among disadvantaged Aboriginal families with children aged 0-5, based on qualitative interviews with 34 participants.

The program, delivered by Aboriginal Family Workers, was well-received by clients and staff, indicating its cultural appropriateness and potential for replication in other Aboriginal health services to reduce injury rates among vulnerable children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The role of Aboriginal family workers in delivering a child safety-focused home visiting program for Aboriginal families in an urban region of New South Wales. Clapham, K., Bennett-Brook, K., Hunter, K.[2021]

Citations

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Support Programs for Domestic Violence

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A community-based intervention program was tested with 181 children ages 6-12 and their mothers exposed to intimate partner violence during the past year.

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Healing Circles: An Intervention for Canadian Indigenous

This clinical trial, called “Healing Circles,” is focused on helping Indigenous mothers and their children who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV).

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H2019:501 - GoodDay

... Mother's Empowerment Program and Kid's Club ... Program adapted specifically for Indigenous mothers and children affected by intimate partner violence in Canada ...