300 Participants Needed

Family-Based Telehealth for Foster Care Support

JF
MT
LG
JF
Overseen ByJohanna Folk
Age: Any Age
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)
Approved in 1 JurisdictionThis treatment is already approved in other countries

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this research is to adapt and evaluate the efficacy of an existing family based intervention to be delivered via telehealth to child welfare-involved (CWI) youth and their caregiver of origin.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your healthcare provider.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Family-based Telehealth Intervention for foster care support?

Research shows that telehealth family therapy can be as effective as face-to-face therapy for child behavioral problems and parental depression, and it can even be better than usual treatments or waiting for therapy. Additionally, telehealth services have been found to improve caregiver outcomes and satisfaction in pediatric rehabilitation, and virtual parent-child interaction therapy has reduced child behavior problems and caregiver stress.12345

Is family-based telehealth safe for use in foster care support?

Research on family-based telehealth interventions, including those for trauma-focused therapy and autism spectrum disorder, suggests they are generally safe and feasible for use, with no significant safety concerns reported in studies.678910

How is the Family-based Telehealth Intervention treatment different from other treatments for foster care support?

The Family-based Telehealth Intervention is unique because it uses telehealth (remote healthcare services via technology) to deliver family therapy, making it more accessible for youth in foster care and their families who face barriers to traditional in-person therapy. This approach focuses on engaging diverse families by considering multi-systemic factors and aims to improve behavioral health outcomes through virtual family support.67111213

Research Team

MT

Marina Tolou-Shams, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of California, San Francisco

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for English-speaking caregivers and their foster care youth aged 12-18 with ongoing child welfare involvement. Caregivers must be the youth's caregiver of origin, able to consent, and without cognitive impairments. Youth also need to understand English or Spanish and be capable of giving informed assent.

Inclusion Criteria

I am the primary caregiver for the participating child.
I am proficient in English or Spanish.
I will be caring for a child aged 12-18 who is involved with child welfare.
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Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention Adaptation

Iterative adaptation of the family-based telehealth intervention with feedback from youth and caregiver participants and stakeholder partners

4 weeks
Multiple virtual sessions

Treatment

Delivery of the family-based telehealth intervention to CWI youth and their caregivers

9 weeks
Weekly virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

3 months
Virtual assessments at 3 months post-intervention

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Family-based Telehealth Intervention
Trial OverviewThe study tests a family-based intervention delivered through telehealth aimed at improving parent-child relationships and communication among foster care youth and their original caregivers.
Participant Groups
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Family-based Telehealth TreatmentExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
A family-based telehealth intervention.

Family-based Telehealth Intervention is already approved in United States for the following indications:

🇺🇸
Approved in United States as Family-based Telehealth Intervention for:
  • Mental health support for foster care youth and their caregivers

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Francisco

Lead Sponsor

Trials
2,636
Recruited
19,080,000+

Visa Foundation

Collaborator

Trials
1
Recruited
300+

Findings from Research

Telehealth (TH) family therapy shows equivalent efficacy to traditional face-to-face therapy for child behavioral problems and parental depression, based on meta-analyses of 20 studies, indicating it is a viable treatment option.
Existing TH guidelines primarily focus on operational aspects rather than therapeutic processes, suggesting a need for improved guidelines that incorporate effective engagement strategies and risk mitigation for better therapeutic outcomes.
Exploring the Efficacy of Telehealth for Family Therapy Through Systematic, Meta-analytic, and Qualitative Evidence.McLean, SA., Booth, AT., Schnabel, A., et al.[2022]
A scoping review of 31 studies on pediatric telehealth interventions found that integrating caregivers into therapy sessions leads to improved outcomes for both caregivers and children.
Caregivers reported high satisfaction and acceptability of telehealth services, highlighting the importance of measuring caregiver engagement and outcomes in future pediatric rehabilitation telehealth research.
Measuring Caregiver Outcomes in Pediatric Rehabilitation Telehealth Services: A Scoping Review.Tkach, MM., Earwood, JH.[2023]
The pilot study successfully transitioned Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to a virtual model (I-PCIT) for 86 families during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing significant improvements in child behavior and caregiver stress, with medium to large effect sizes.
Collaboratively developed training strategies for therapists, such as online communities and training materials, were linked to the most significant positive outcomes for both children and caregivers, highlighting effective methods for virtual service delivery.
Rapid, Full-Scale Change to Virtual PCIT During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implementation and Clinical Implications.Garcia, D., Blizzard, AM., Peskin, A., et al.[2022]

References

Exploring the Efficacy of Telehealth for Family Therapy Through Systematic, Meta-analytic, and Qualitative Evidence. [2022]
Measuring Caregiver Outcomes in Pediatric Rehabilitation Telehealth Services: A Scoping Review. [2023]
Rapid, Full-Scale Change to Virtual PCIT During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implementation and Clinical Implications. [2022]
Remotely delivering real-time parent training to the home: An initial randomized trial of Internet-delivered parent-child interaction therapy (I-PCIT). [2022]
The impact of a telehealth platform on ABA-based parent training targeting social communication in children with autism spectrum disorder. [2022]
An Ecodevelopmental Framework for Engaging Diverse Youth in Foster Care and Their Families Into Technology-Based Family Intervention Research Trials. [2023]
Examining the Feasibility of Telehealth Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) with Young People in Foster Care. [2023]
Self-Directed Telehealth Parent-Mediated Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Examination of the Potential Reach and Utilization in Community Settings. [2018]
Enhancing Foster Parent Training with Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment. [2020]
Adaptation of the trauma group intervention 'Teaching Recovery Techniques' for online delivery: A participatory design and usability study. [2022]
Exploring engagement in telepractice early intervention for young children with developmental disability and their families: a qualitative systematic review. [2023]
12.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Telebehavioral Interventions for Family Caregivers of Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review. [2021]
Strategies for implementation of virtual home visitation in the United States. [2022]