Attachment-Focused Parenting Program for Child Development

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Susan Woodhouse, Ph.D.

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Maryland, College Park

Disqualifiers: Language fluency

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

249 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to promote healthy development in children by fostering secure attachments between parents and young children. It will test two different programs: the Circle of Security Parenting program, which focuses on building strong emotional bonds, and the Little Talks program, which emphasizes early literacy. Both programs involve eight home visits, each lasting 90 minutes. The trial seeks parents with children aged 8 to 36 months who are either enrolled in or eligible for Early Head Start programs in Harrisburg, PA, and Lehigh Valley, PA, and who can speak English or Spanish well enough to participate.

As an unphased trial, this study offers parents a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance early childhood development strategies.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

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

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) program is well-received by participants. Studies have found that COS-P can help reduce anxious feelings in children and decrease negative parenting behaviors. The program aims to strengthen the bond between parents and their children by teaching parents how to understand and respond to their children's emotional needs. So far, studies have reported no negative effects or safety issues. This suggests that COS-P is a safe choice for parents who want to improve their parenting skills and build a secure relationship with their children. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) program because it offers a unique, attachment-based approach to child development. Unlike standard parenting programs that might focus on behavior management, COS-P emphasizes understanding and responding to children's emotional needs, which can foster stronger parent-child bonds. This method is delivered through eight, 90-minute home visits, allowing for personalized guidance and support in a familiar environment. By focusing on emotional security, the COS-P program aims to improve long-term developmental outcomes for children, setting it apart from more traditional approaches.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for promoting secure attachment in children?

Research has shown that the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) program, which participants in this trial may receive, can enhance child development by strengthening the parent-child bond. Studies indicate that COS-P reduces anxious feelings and negative behaviors in parenting. Parents participating in COS-P report feeling less stressed and more confident in their parenting skills. Additionally, children of parents who completed the COS-P program demonstrated better social skills and behavior. Overall, COS-P offers a promising approach to improving parent-child relationships and supporting healthier child development. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Susan Woodhouse, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Lehigh University

Jude Cassidy, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Maryland, College Park

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for parents with children aged 8 to 36 months enrolled in Early Head Start programs in Harrisburg PA and Lehigh Valley PA. Participants must be fluent in English or Spanish, the languages used for the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria

My child, aged 8-36 months, is enrolled in an Early Head Start program in Harrisburg or Lehigh Valley, PA.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive either the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) intervention or the Little Talks intervention, each consisting of 8 sessions of 90 minutes each.

8 weeks

Immediate Post-Intervention Assessment

Various assessments are conducted immediately after the intervention to evaluate outcomes such as parental emotional responses, cortisol stress reactivity, and intervention satisfaction.

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for outcomes such as child behavior problems and parental sensitivity at a 6-month follow-up.

6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Circle of Security Parenting
• Little Talks

Trial Overview The study tests an innovative program called Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) designed to foster secure child-parent attachments, promote healthy development, and reduce behavior problems in children through a randomized controlled trial.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

These participants will receive the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) intervention, an attachment-based, manualized, 8-session (90 minutes/session), home visiting intervention.

Group II: Little Talks Active Control 1 Intervention

These participants will receive the Little Talks intervention, a manualized, 8-session (90 minutes/session) early literacy home visiting intervention.

Circle of Security Parenting is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Circle of Security Parenting for:

• Promoting secure attachment in children
• Reducing behavior problems
• Fostering healthy physiological regulation

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Maryland, College Park

Lead Sponsor

Trials

163

Recruited

46,800+

Lehigh University

Collaborator

Trials

24

Recruited

6,800+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The study evaluates the effectiveness of the Circle of Security-Parenting (COS-P) program in improving maternal sensitivity and child attachment among 314 families with infants aged 2-12 months, compared to standard care.

By screening a larger population of 17,600 families for risks like maternal postnatal depression, the study aims to address early childhood adversity and promote better long-term developmental outcomes for children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Copenhagen infant mental health project: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing circle of security -parenting and care as usual as interventions targeting infant mental health risks. Væver, MS., Smith-Nielsen, J., Lange, T.[2019]

The Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) intervention effectively improved a father's self-agency and perception of his child's functioning in a custody conflict case, demonstrating its potential in attachment-based therapy.

Post-intervention assessments indicated significant reductions in parenting stress and improvements in the father's alliance with the child's mother, suggesting COS-P can enhance parental relationships and child outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The circle of security parenting and parental conflict: a single case study. Pazzagli, C., Laghezza, L., Manaresi, F., et al.[2023]

The Circle of Security-Parenting (COS-P) intervention is an effective, manualized program designed to improve children's attachment security, which is crucial for preventing negative outcomes like behavior problems.

COS-P helps parents, like the example of 'Alexa,' develop skills to better understand and respond to their children's needs, ultimately promoting healthier parent-child relationships.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Learning to provide children with a secure base and a safe haven: The Circle of Security-Parenting (COS-P) group intervention. Kim, M., Woodhouse, SS., Dai, C.[2019]

The study evaluates the effectiveness of the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) intervention in a non-randomized controlled setting, involving caregivers of children aged 6 years and under facing early parenting challenges, which addresses a significant evidence gap in existing research.

By assessing changes in caregiving attitudes and caregiver depression symptoms, this study aims to provide insights into the effectiveness of COS-P and identify which demographic factors may influence its success, making it one of the first controlled evaluations of this intervention in Australia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Addressing the Evidence Gap: Protocol for an Effectiveness Study of Circle of Security Parenting, an Attachment-Based Intervention. Maxwell, AM., McMahon, C., Huber, A., et al.[2021]

Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) effectively shifts parents' perspectives on their child, themselves, and their relationship with their child, leading to increased empathy, compassion, and confidence in parenting, based on qualitative insights from 20 facilitators and 14 parents in Australia.

The program's impact is supported by four key components: essential content, skills practice, group dynamics, and facilitator support, although some limitations were noted regarding its application.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parent and practitioner perspectives on Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P): A qualitative study. Maxwell, AM., Reay, RE., Huber, A., et al.[2021]

The Circle of Security (COS) approach helps parents understand their children's attachment needs and has been adapted for individual therapy, enhancing its accessibility and effectiveness.

Incorporating video reviews of parent-child interactions in the COS intervention allows for personalized feedback, which can improve the parent’s ability to manage separation issues with their children.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Travelling the circle together, solo: An individual protocol for the Circle of Security intensive intervention. Andrews, E., Coyne, J.[2019]

The Circle of Security Intensive intervention (COS-I-RH) significantly improved caregiver capacities, including supportive parenting and parenting self-efficacy, in a study of 36 parent-child dyads over a year.

These positive changes in caregiving behavior and representations were sustained at a one-year follow-up, indicating the long-term effectiveness of the intervention regardless of whether it was delivered individually or in groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Postintervention and follow-up changes in caregiving behavior and representations after individually or group delivered hybrid Circle of Security-intensive intervention with New Zealand caregiver-child dyads. Huber, A., Hicks, AM., Ball, M., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5543687/

Circle of Security–Parenting: A randomized controlled trial in ... The present study is a randomized controlled trial of COS-P in a low-income sample of Head Start enrolled children and their mothers.

2. circleofsecurityinternational.com circleofsecurityinternational.com/pages/research

Research Research on both the Circle of Security-Intensive model and the Circle of Security Parenting program has been building over time.

3. scup.com scup.com/doi/10.7577/njsr.3482

Circle of Security-Parenting: A Systematic Review ... The findings' strengths include some improvements in reducing parental stress, increasing self-efficacy and parenting skills, and promoting an ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005789421001003

The Circle of Security Parenting Program (COS-P) COS-P is a low-intensity parent training program. Compared to waitlist, COS-P decreased anxious attachment and negative parenting.

5. thelancet.com thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(25)00263-9/fulltext

Clinical effectiveness of the Circle of Security-Parenting ... Specifically, the trial examined whether COS-P plus treatment-as-usual was more effective than treatment-as-usual alone within NHS community ...

6. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00178969251325366

A qualitative study of the circle of security-parenting ... COS-P helps parents recognise and respond to their child's emotional needs for attachment. The programme focuses on enhancing parents' ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8594052/

Protocol for an Effectiveness Study of Circle of Security ... Results from this study will provide valuable information about the effectiveness of COS-P for caregivers with early parenting challenges, and will increase ...