Parenting Intervention for Child Behavior Improvement

Overseen By Ellen R Siceloff, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of South Carolina

Disqualifiers: Cognitive/psychological, Physical health, others

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

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a special parenting program, the Parenting Intervention, can help Black and Latinx children enhance their social and emotional skills and adopt healthier lifestyles. One group of parents will participate in a detailed program that includes lessons on ethnic-racial socialization and healthy habits. The other group will receive basic information about healthy eating. Suitable candidates for this trial are children aged 3-6 who are Black or Latinx and have a parent or caregiver willing to join the program and who lives with them most of the time. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to important research that could benefit the community.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

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

What prior data suggests that this parenting intervention is safe for children?

Research shows that parenting programs are generally safe and easy for families to use. Studies have found that these programs can help families by reducing parental stress and improving children's behavior. Strong evidence supports the benefits of these programs for both the physical and mental health of children. Related studies have reported no serious side effects. These findings suggest that parenting programs are a safe choice for families seeking to improve their children's behavior and overall family well-being. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this parenting intervention because it offers a holistic approach to improving child behavior that goes beyond typical behavior management strategies. Unlike standard treatments, which might focus solely on the child or use medication, this intervention empowers parents by equipping them with a range of techniques to address behavioral issues. By involving parents directly, the intervention aims to create a supportive and consistent environment at home, potentially leading to more sustainable and meaningful improvements in child behavior.

What evidence suggests that this parenting intervention is effective for improving child behavior?

Research shows that parenting programs can greatly improve children's behavior and development. Studies have found that these programs enhance children's thinking, language, movement, and social skills. One review found that starting these programs early in a child's life is particularly effective at reducing behavior problems. Another study showed that the positive effects on children's behavior can last a long time. In this trial, participants in the intervention arm will engage in a multicomponent parenting program. This evidence suggests that such a targeted parenting program could effectively support the social and emotional growth of Black and Latinx children and promote healthier lifestyle choices. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Black or Latinx children aged 3-6 who have a parent or caregiver willing to participate. The caregiver must live with the child at least half the time, be primarily responsible for them, and speak English or Spanish. Children with prior psychological or physical health diagnoses are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

Eligible children will identify as Black/African American or Latinx/Hispanic

My child is between 3 and 6 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

My child has been diagnosed with a physical health condition before.

My child has been diagnosed with a psychological condition before.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2 weeks

Intervention

Parents participate in a multicomponent parenting intervention focusing on positive parenting practices, ethnic-racial socialization, and healthy lifestyle behaviors

6 weeks

Weekly sessions (in-person or virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in child sleep, physical activity, and social-emotional functioning, as well as parenting practices

2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Parenting Intervention

Trial Overview

The study tests a parenting support program focused on ethnic-racial socialization and promoting healthy lifestyles. It aims to see if this improves social-emotional functioning and health behaviors in Black and Latinx children.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

parents will participate in a multicomponent parenting intervention

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

parents will receive information about healthy eating habits

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of South Carolina

Lead Sponsor

Trials

233

Recruited

122,000+

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Collaborator

Trials

315

Recruited

251,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Parenting intervention programs have the potential to significantly improve children's health and development, but many existing programs have not met the necessary standards for effectiveness, leading to failures in large-scale initiatives.

Evidence suggests that certain programs, particularly nurse home visiting for pregnant women and young parents, can produce consistent positive outcomes for children's health and development across diverse populations and settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Programs for parents of infants and toddlers: recent evidence from randomized trials. Olds, DL., Sadler, L., Kitzman, H.[2022]

The Leader Observation Tool effectively predicts changes in parenting skills after participating in the Incredible Years parent training program, highlighting the importance of implementer skills in achieving positive outcomes.

Higher treatment fidelity in delivering parent training not only maintains the intervention's effectiveness but also leads to improved parenting behaviors, which subsequently result in better child behavior outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Treatment fidelity as a predictor of behaviour change in parents attending group-based parent training. Eames, C., Daley, D., Hutchings, J., et al.[2009]

A randomized controlled trial involving 222 primary caregivers showed that a four-session psychoeducational group intervention significantly improved parenting practices and reduced child behavior problems compared to a wait-list control group.

The positive effects of the intervention were maintained even one year later for some participants, suggesting that this program could be an effective early intervention for parents dealing with preschoolers' behavioral issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Brief psychoeducational parenting program: an evaluation and 1-year follow-up. Bradley, SJ., Jadaa, DA., Brody, J., et al.[2015]

Parenting interventions, particularly those delivered through home visiting programs, significantly reduce the risk of unintentional injuries in children, with a relative risk of 0.83 based on a meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials involving 5,074 participants.

These interventions also improve home safety practices and reduce home hazards, especially among families from disadvantaged backgrounds, although the quality of the home environment did not show significant improvement in some analyses.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parenting interventions for the prevention of unintentional injuries in childhood. Kendrick, D., Mulvaney, CA., Ye, L., et al.[2022]

The Therapist-Parent Interaction Coding System (TPICS) effectively captures various coaching techniques used by therapists during Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), based on an analysis of 61 video-recorded sessions.

The study found that responsive coaching techniques, such as providing praise, helped improve parents' skills between sessions, while directive coaching methods did not show the same effect, indicating the importance of tailored feedback in enhancing parenting behaviors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Assessing the Key to Effective Coaching in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: The Therapist-Parent Interaction Coding System. Barnett, ML., Niec, LN., Acevedo-Polakovich, ID.[2021]

The study focuses on Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as an early intervention for preschool-aged children exhibiting conduct problem behaviors, highlighting the importance of addressing these issues early in childhood.

Initial data from families who completed the treatment show that the measures used to assess outcomes are sensitive to changes, indicating that PCIT may effectively improve behavior in young children and their families.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent-child interaction therapy: a psychosocial model for the treatment of young children with conduct problem behavior and their families. Eyberg, SM., Boggs, SR., Algina, J.[2009]

Training general practitioners (GPs) in the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program significantly improved their consultation skills and satisfaction when working with parents, as evidenced by a study involving 32 GPs.

The training led to observable enhancements in GPs' interactional skills during simulated consultations, indicating that even brief, cost-effective programs can effectively equip healthcare providers to better address child behavioral issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Training GPs in parent consultation skills. An evaluation of training for the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Sanders, MR., Tully, LA., Turner, KM., et al.[2019]

The quality of parenting significantly impacts children's development and well-being, making it a crucial target for preventive interventions.

The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program serves as a successful model for improving parenting quality, highlighting the need for comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to be implemented globally as a public health initiative.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development, evaluation, and multinational dissemination of the triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Sanders, MR.[2022]

The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program is designed as a public health approach to improve parenting skills, aiming to enhance children's mental health and family relationships on a large scale.

This program combines universal and targeted interventions to effectively reach a broader population, particularly benefiting high-risk families and reducing behavioral and emotional issues in children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Correction to sanders (2008). [2015]

The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, evaluated over three years with 139 families, showed that all three variants (Enhanced, Standard, and Self Directed) effectively reduced preschooler disruptive behavior, with about two-thirds of children moving from clinically elevated to non-clinical behavior levels.

At the three-year follow-up, the positive effects of the interventions were maintained across all groups, highlighting the program's potential as a cost-effective public health strategy for preventing behavioral issues in high-risk children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Maintenance of treatment gains: a comparison of enhanced, standard, and self-directed Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Sanders, MR., Bor, W., Morawska, A.[2019]

A systematic review of 31 studies found that online parenting interventions significantly reduce emotional problems in children and adolescents, with a moderate effect size of -0.26 immediately after the intervention and -0.14 at follow-up.

Longer online parenting programs were found to be more effective, suggesting that duration may play a key role in the success of these interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of online parenting interventions in addressing emotional problems in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. David, OA., Fodor, LA., Dascăl, MD., et al.[2023]

Parenting interventions, particularly those delivered through home visiting programs, significantly reduce the risk of child injury, with a relative risk of 0.82 based on a meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials involving families at risk of adverse health outcomes.

These interventions not only lower injury rates but also improve home safety conditions and increase the use of safety practices among parents, highlighting their effectiveness in promoting child safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parenting interventions for the prevention of unintentional injuries in childhood. Kendrick, D., Barlow, J., Hampshire, A., et al.[2022]

In a clinical trial involving 166 families, the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program demonstrated high treatment fidelity, with over 80% adherence to content and similarly high process fidelity scores, indicating effective implementation of the program.

Practitioners reported that the fidelity promotion strategies, including expert training and ongoing supervision, were beneficial and helped increase their self-efficacy in delivering the program.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and Validation of Fidelity Monitoring and Enhancement in an Evidence-Based Parenting Program. Sanders, MR., Spry, CS., Tellegen, CL., et al.[2021]

In a study involving 169 children with autism spectrum disorder, parent target problems (PTPs) were found to be a reliable and valid method for tracking specific behavioral outcomes during a 24-week trial comparing parent training to psychoeducation.

Children receiving parent training showed a significantly greater improvement in their targeted problems compared to those receiving psychoeducation, with a notable effect size of 0.75 by the end of the study.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Using Parent Target Problem Narratives to Evaluate Outcomes in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sheridan, E., Gillespie, S., Johnson, CR., et al.[2022]

Citations

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Parenting Interventions for Early Child Development (0-3 yrs)

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The lasting influence of parenting intervention on child behavior

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sciencedirect.com

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acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ecd/compendium_of_parenting_interventions_911_508.pdf

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Triple P is an integrated, multi-level system of evidence-based parenting support designed to promote the well-being of children and families.

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