Strength at Home Program for Parent-Child Relationships

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: VISN 17 Center of Excellence

Disqualifiers: Major neurocognitive disorder, severe TBI

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 8

Duration: 8 weeks

200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effect of the Strength at Home Parents intervention to treatment as usual in veterans enrolled for care at VA facilities in VISN 17 on parenting stress and parenting behaviors. The participant population will have elevated PTSD symptoms and parent-child functioning difficulties with an index child between the ages of 3-12. The main question\[s\]it aims to answer are: • Does Strength at Home Parents improve parenting stress and parenting behaviors in comparison to a no-treatment control condition? • Are gains maintained over time and is there a gender difference in efficacy? Participants will complete 4 online assessments, and if randomized to the intervention group they will complete an 8 week tele-health group program. If randomized to the control group participants will receive a link to the VA parenting resources website and any referrals they would like to have. Researchers will compare Strength at Home Parents to VA treatment as usual see if the group intervention improves parenting stress and behaviors above and beyond the existing resources.

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.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Strength at Home Parents for improving parent-child relationships?

A pilot trial of the Strength at Home Parents treatment for veterans with PTSD showed promising results, suggesting improved family functioning, better parenting practices, and reduced parenting stress. Although the study had a small sample size, these findings indicate potential benefits for parent-child relationships. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Strength at Home Parents treatment different from other treatments for improving parent-child relationships?

The Strength at Home Parents treatment is unique because it focuses specifically on enhancing parent-child relationships by addressing family dynamics and communication, rather than just providing general parenting skills or addressing external issues like substance abuse. This approach is distinct from other programs that may focus on broader developmental needs or community involvement. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for veterans enrolled at VA VISN 17 facilities who are parents to a child aged 3-12, living with them or spending at least two days per week together. They must have elevated PTSD symptoms and difficulties in parent-child functioning.

Inclusion Criteria

Elevated PTSD symptoms

Veterans enrolled in any VA VISN 17 facility

I have a child aged 3-12 who lives with me or visits at least two days a week.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have a severe brain injury or condition affecting my understanding.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants in the intervention group complete an 8-week tele-health group program, while the control group receives access to VA parenting resources

8 weeks

8 virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for parenting stress and behaviors, PTSD symptoms, and family functioning

24-32 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Strength at Home Parents

Trial Overview The trial compares the 'Strength at Home Parents' tele-health group program against usual VA treatments to see if it better reduces parenting stress and improves behaviors. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the program or control group receiving standard resources.

Participant Groups

Group I: Strength at Home Parents Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: VA treatment as usual Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

VISN 17 Center of Excellence

Lead Sponsor

Trials

4

Recruited

660+

University of Texas at Austin

Collaborator

Trials

387

Recruited

86,100+

United States Department of Defense

Collaborator

Trials

940

Recruited

339,000+

Findings from Research

The Strength at Home - Parents (SAHP) intervention shows promise in improving parenting behaviors and parent-child functioning among veterans with PTSD, based on pilot data from 21 participants.

Participants reported improved family functioning, reduced dysfunctional parenting practices, and increased positive parenting practices, indicating the intervention's potential effectiveness, although results should be interpreted cautiously due to the small sample size.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot trial of Strength at Home Parents, a trauma-informed parenting support treatment for veterans. Creech, SK., Pearson, R., Saenz, JJ., et al.[2023]

The Parent-to-Parent program is a home-based initiative that provides long-term support to adolescent parents through trained volunteers, aiming to improve parent-child interactions and help parents access necessary services.

The program also focuses on increasing community involvement and empowering parents to plan for their futures, addressing the broader developmental needs often overlooked in traditional prenatal and neonatal care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community support for adolescent parents and their children: The parent-to-parent program in Vermont. Halpern, R., Covey, L.[2021]

The parenting support programme successfully engaged 58 out of 60 invited Somali-born parents, demonstrating effective outreach and participation strategies, such as involving key community individuals and providing free transportation.

Participants reported increased knowledge about children's rights and available social services, indicating that the programme not only reached its audience but also positively impacted their understanding and support networks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The implementation of a culturally tailored parenting support programme for Somali immigrant parents living in Sweden-A process evaluation. Osman, F., Schön, UK., Klingberg-Allvin, M., et al.[2022]

The home-use DVD version of the Strengthening Families Program (SFP) demonstrated a significant improvement in program outcomes, outperforming traditional group norms in 13 out of 15 comparisons, with an average effect size increase of 28%.

This study suggests that delivering family-based interventions through affordable technology like DVDs can be as effective as traditional group classes, highlighting a potential cost-effective alternative for families and agencies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Parenting Behavior Intervention (the Strengthening Families Program) for Families: Noninferiority Trial of Different Program Delivery Methods. Kumpfer, KL., Brown, JL.[2020]

References

1. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Evaluation of an inpatient parent-child-rehabilitation program: symptoms of psychological distress and quality of life]. [2015]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parents' Perceptions of Motor Interventions for Infants and Toddlers with Down Syndrome. [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pilot trial of Strength at Home Parents, a trauma-informed parenting support treatment for veterans. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Partner support as a mediator of intervention outcome. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Home visitation practice: models, documentation, and evaluation. [2019]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Family co-operation programme description. [2017]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community support for adolescent parents and their children: The parent-to-parent program in Vermont. [2021]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The implementation of a culturally tailored parenting support programme for Somali immigrant parents living in Sweden-A process evaluation. [2022]

9. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Parenting Behavior Intervention (the Strengthening Families Program) for Families: Noninferiority Trial of Different Program Delivery Methods. [2020]

10. Chile pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Evaluation of the program "Strong families: love and limits" in families with teenagers aged 10 to 14 years]. [2019]