Strong Fathers, Stronger Families Program for Fatherhood

Age: 18+

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Midwest Evaluation & Research

Disqualifiers: Minor, Not a father, others

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

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 the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Program can improve parenting skills, co-parenting relationships, and financial stability. Participants will attend classes designed to strengthen fatherhood and family ties, with assessments of their attitudes conducted before and after the program. Fathers or father figures with children aged 0-24 living in the Memphis area are encouraged to participate. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to enhance family dynamics and personal growth.

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 the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program is safe for participants?

Research has not provided specific safety details for the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families Program. However, similar programs for fathers are generally considered safe and beneficial. These programs aim to enhance father-child interactions, improve co-parenting, and strengthen family bonds. Participants often report positive changes, such as improved parenting skills and closer family connections. No known negative effects are associated with these types of programs. As this trial primarily observes results, it focuses more on outcomes than on testing medical safety. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families Program because it offers a fresh approach to enhancing fatherhood and family relationships. Unlike traditional parenting programs that might focus only on parenting skills, this program combines the Blueprint and 24/7 Dad curricula to address both healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood over 40 hours in ten weeks. This dual focus on marital health and fatherhood responsibilities is unique, aiming to strengthen family units from multiple angles, fostering better family dynamics and child outcomes.

What evidence suggests that the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program is effective for improving parenting, co-parenting, and economic stability?

Research has shown that the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program, which participants in this trial will receive, positively affects parenting and co-parenting. Participants often gain better financial knowledge and find jobs more easily, leading to more stable and harmonious family life. Some studies also suggest benefits for children, though these findings are less consistent. Overall, the program helps fathers become more involved and responsible, benefiting both their families and themselves. ^{1 2 3 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Matt D Shepherd, PhD

Principal Investigator

Midwest Evaluation and Research

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for fathers interested in improving their parenting, co-parenting skills, and economic stability. Participants will be surveyed at the start and end of the program to track changes.

Inclusion Criteria

I am an adult with children aged 0 to 24.

Father/father figure

Reside in Memphis metropolitan area

Exclusion Criteria

Not a father/father figure

Reside outside of Memphis metropolitan area

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Program Participation

Participants engage in the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program, completing 40 hours of the Blueprint and 24/7 Dad curricula over ten weeks.

10 weeks

Program entry and exit surveys

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in parenting, co-parenting, and economic stability outcomes after program completion.

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Strong Fathers, Stronger Families Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Program

Trial Overview

The study evaluates the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program's effectiveness on fatherhood by assessing participant attitudes before and after completing the program.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Primary Services Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Primary Services Participants receive 40 hours of the Blueprint and 24/7 Dad curricula over the course of ten weeks.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Midwest Evaluation & Research

Lead Sponsor

Trials

11

Recruited

11,700+

Seedco: Strong Fathers, Stronger Families

Collaborator

Published Research Related to This Trial

The TRUE Dads program, which involved 1,042 co-parenting teams in a series of workshops, led to significant improvements in fathers' mental health, communication, and employment status compared to a control group.

The intervention demonstrated that enhancing relationship quality between co-parents and reducing personal distress can positively impact parenting and children's behavior, suggesting that combining fatherhood support with relationship and employment programs may be more effective for low-income families.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

TRUE Dads: The impact of a couples-based fatherhood intervention on family relationships, child outcomes, and economic self-sufficiency. Cowan, PA., Cowan, CP., Gillette, PF.[2022]

Engaging fathers and male caregivers in interventions for young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has shown positive impacts on maternal, paternal, and couple relationship outcomes, with 44 studies reviewed highlighting these benefits.

While child outcomes showed some positive effects, the evidence was less consistent compared to maternal and paternal outcomes, indicating a need for more rigorous studies to fully understand the impact of male caregiver involvement on child development.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of father-inclusive interventions on maternal, paternal, couples, and early child outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Jeong, J., Sullivan, EF., McCann, JK.[2023]

The 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' program led to significant weight loss in fathers, with an average loss of 7.6 kg over 6 months, compared to no weight change in the control group, indicating its efficacy in promoting weight management.

The program also improved various health metrics in fathers, such as waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, and physical activity, while positively influencing children's physical activity and dietary habits, highlighting the program's role in fostering healthier family dynamics.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' randomized controlled trial: efficacy of a healthy lifestyle program for overweight fathers and their children. Morgan, PJ., Lubans, DR., Callister, R., et al.[2022]

Substance use treatment programs often overlook the parenting status of men, despite evidence that programs focusing on gender and motherhood improve treatment outcomes for women.

The paper presents pilot outcomes from a fatherhood-focused intervention in a residential treatment program, suggesting that integrating parenting components could enhance treatment effectiveness and positively impact child welfare.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Where's Dad? The Importance of Integrating Fatherhood and Parenting Programming into Substance Use Treatment for Men. Stover, CS., Carlson, M., Patel, S., et al.[2020]

The Fathers for Change intervention, involving 18 fathers with both Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and substance abuse issues, led to higher treatment completion rates and greater satisfaction compared to Individual Drug Counseling.

Participants in the Fathers for Change group showed a trend toward reduced IPV and significantly less intrusive behavior during play with their children after the 16-week program, suggesting potential benefits for both fathers and their parenting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fathers for Change for Substance Use and Intimate Partner Violence: Initial Community Pilot. Stover, CS.[2023]

The Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood initiative has successfully provided relationship education and fatherhood programs to over 2 million individuals in the U.S. over the past two decades.

Recent randomized controlled trials conducted as part of this initiative aim to evaluate the effectiveness of these community-based programs, highlighting the integration of program evaluation with family science.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Introduction to special section: Federally funded, community-based healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood program impact studies. Rhoades, GK., Doss, BD., Carlson, RG.[2022]

The SAFE® program significantly improved secure attachment between infants and their fathers, with 84.6% of infants in the SAFE group securely attached compared to 65.8% in the control group, based on a year-long randomized control trial.

While the program effectively enhanced father-infant attachment, it did not show a significant difference in secure attachment between mothers and infants, indicating a targeted impact on father involvement.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

*The efficacy of the attachment-based SAFE® prevention program: a randomized control trial including mothers and fathers. Walter, I., Landers, S., Quehenberger, J., et al.[2020]

The fatherhood training program by REACHUP, Inc. showed significant improvements in participants' self-awareness, fathering skills, and relationship skills, with pretest scores averaging 8.90 and posttest scores averaging 16.42 out of 22, indicating a strong positive impact over five years.

Attendance in the program nearly doubled from 55 participants in 2013 to 97 in 2017, highlighting a growing recognition of the importance of male involvement in parenting, with benefits extending to non-biological fathers like grandfathers and uncles.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of a 24/7 Dad® Curriculum in Improving Father Involvement: Profiles of Engagement. Wilson, RE., Obure, R., Omokaro, P., et al.[2022]

Community-based programs for low-income fathers often face challenges in achieving high attendance rates, but some programs successfully engage fathers in parenting and economic security classes.

Higher levels of participation (or dosage) in these programs are positively associated with better outcomes for fathers, including increased engagement with children, improved parenting satisfaction, and higher earnings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fathers' Dosage in Community-based Programs for Low-income Fathers. Fagan, J., Pearson, J.[2021]

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