Responsible Fatherhood Programming for Enhancing Parenting Skills

(FELLAS Trial)

Overseen By Michael Young, Ph.D.

Age: 18+

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Partnership for Maternal & Child Health of Northern New Jersey

Disqualifiers: Not a father, children over 24, 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 help fathers improve parenting skills, strengthen relationships, and boost job readiness. The program, called Responsible Fatherhood Programming, teaches responsible parenting, effective communication, and financial literacy. Fathers living in Essex County, New Jersey, with at least one child under 24 years old, are eligible to join. Participants will attend educational sessions and provide feedback through questionnaires and focus groups.

As an unphased trial, this study offers fathers a unique opportunity to enhance their skills and relationships while contributing to valuable research.

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 this program is safe for participants?

Research shows that responsible fatherhood programs are generally well-received. Studies have found that these programs lead to small increases in fathers' involvement with their children and improve cooperation with co-parents. Participants often develop better attitudes and skills throughout the program. Reports indicate no negative effects from these educational activities. This suggests that the Responsible Fatherhood Programming under study is likely safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Responsible Fatherhood Programming because it offers a comprehensive approach to enhancing parenting skills, which goes beyond typical parenting classes. Unlike standard programs that might focus solely on communication or basic parenting skills, this program combines elements like 24/7 Dad and Couples Communication I with financial literacy and money management training. This holistic approach aims to address multiple aspects of fatherhood, potentially leading to more well-rounded outcomes for participants and their families.

What evidence suggests that Responsible Fatherhood Programming is effective for enhancing parenting skills?

Research has shown that the Responsible Fatherhood Program, which participants in this trial will receive, improves parenting skills. Participants in earlier studies reported better attitudes and parenting behaviors after completing the program. The 24/7 Dad curriculum, a key component of the program, demonstrated significant improvements in self-reported parenting skills from before to after the program. Other studies suggest that these programs can increase job opportunities and income, helping families achieve greater financial stability. Additionally, involved fathers contribute to better outcomes for their children, such as improved school performance and a lower risk of substance use. Overall, evidence supports that these programs enhance father-child relationships and family well-being. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

The FELLAS project is for fathers living in Essex County, New Jersey who have at least one child under the age of 24. It aims to help them engage better with their children, improve their economic situation, and strengthen relationship skills.

Inclusion Criteria

Reside in Essex County, New Jersey

I have a child who is 24 years old or younger.

I am a father.

Exclusion Criteria

I am not a father.

Father with all children older than 24

Not a resident of Essex County, New Jersey

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive educational programming including 24/7 Dad, Couples Communication I, and financial literacy/money management

5 weeks

Home visits included

Posttest Evaluation

Participants complete a self-report questionnaire immediately after the program

1 week

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for improvements in skills such as communication, conflict resolution, economic stability, and parenting

6 months

Focus groups and self-report questionnaires

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Responsible Fatherhood Programming

Trial Overview This program tests a fatherhood initiative that includes parenting education using the '24/7 Dad' curriculum, relationship enhancement with 'Couple Communication I', and employment support services to boost job readiness.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention - Responsible Fatherhood Programming Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants receive educational programming to include: 24/7 Dad, Couples Communication I, and a comprehensive program targeting financial literacy/money management. The study features only one group. Participants will receive the intervention described. There is no control group.

Responsible Fatherhood Programming is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as FELLAS for:

• Strengthening father-child engagement
• Improving economic stability
• Enhancing healthy marriage/relationship skills

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Partnership for Maternal & Child Health of Northern New Jersey

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

540+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Bringing Baby Home program significantly increased father involvement in parenting tasks among 136 pregnant couples, as measured by self-reports after the intervention.

Fathers who participated in the program also reported higher satisfaction with parenting responsibilities and felt more appreciated by their wives, leading to greater overall satisfaction in the division of parenting labor for both partners.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Father's Involvement When Bringing Baby Home: Efficacy Testing of a Couple-Focused Transition to Parenthood Intervention for Promoting Father Involvement. Shapiro, AF., Gottman, JM., Fink, BC.[2022]

An educational intervention consisting of 4 sessions was developed for 6 expectant fathers to help them gain confidence in their upcoming paternal roles, and the participants reported a positive experience with the content and format.

The intervention effectively supported the transition to fatherhood by addressing the specific needs of expectant fathers, indicating its potential value in similar educational programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An Educational Intervention to Support the Development of a Sense of Mastery of the Anticipated Paternal Role in Expectant Fathers: A Clinical Project. Bourget, M., Héon, M., Aita, M., et al.[2020]

The educational program for fathers significantly improved father-infant interaction scores, particularly in caregiving aspects, suggesting that targeted education can enhance parenting skills.

While the program did not show significant changes in infant development knowledge or father-infant attachment, it indicates that hybrid educational approaches can be effective in fostering better interactions between fathers and their infants.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of a hybrid online and offline program for facilitating father-infant interactions in South Korea: a quasi-experimental study. Park, SE., Bang, KS.[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]

Fathers play a crucial role in positive child development, but research on their impact and effective interventions has been limited, as highlighted by a systematic review of 64 studies.

The review suggests a need for more targeted research on fathers, particularly in areas like co-parenting, and recommends improving methods for including, engaging, retaining, and measuring outcomes related to fathers in future studies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Future Directions in Father Inclusion, Engagement, Retention, and Positive Outcomes in Child and Adolescent Research. Fabiano, GA., Caserta, A.[2019]

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]

In a pilot study involving 50 male caregivers, those with education beyond high school were over 5 times more likely to complete the SafeCare Dad to Kids (Dad2K) program, highlighting the importance of educational background in program engagement.

Qualitative interviews with program completers revealed that fathers were motivated to participate in the Dad2K program to improve their parenting skills, suggesting that targeted engagement strategies may be needed for less-educated fathers to enhance their participation in such programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploration of Factors Predictive of At-risk Fathers' Participation in a Pilot Study of an Augmented Evidence-Based Parent Training Program: A Mixed Methods Approach. Rostad, WL., Self-Brown, S., Boyd, C., et al.[2019]

Current early parenting programs primarily target mothers, which may limit the involvement of fathers in family support initiatives.

The paper highlights barriers to father involvement in these programs and suggests that insights from European and international fatherhood research can help create more inclusive strategies to engage fathers effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Fathers in Early Parenting Programs. Impulses from the European and International Fatherhood Research]. Ahnert, L.[2022]

Citations

1. acf.gov acf.gov/ofa/programs/healthy-marriage-responsible-fatherhood/data-reports

Data & Reports You can learn more about past and present evaluations, and other research on strengthening families on the OPRE site.

2. newprairiepress.org newprairiepress.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1295&context=hbr

An Early Evaluation Of A Responsible Fatherhood Program ... RESULTS. Participants showed significant improvement from pretest to posttest for five of the seven outcome measures, including: Attitudes ...

3. frpn.org frpn.org/sites/default/files/FRPN_MetaAnalysis_Summary_121418_v3.pdf

Do Responsible Fatherhood Programs Work? Measurable outcomes include increases in employment rates, income, child support order establishment, and the payment of formal and informal child support (e.g. ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7031876/

Effectiveness of a 24/7 Dad® Curriculum in Improving Father ... The program utilized the 24/7 Dad ® curriculum for the fatherhood training program. Key program outcome was differences in pre and post-test scores on self- ...

5. fatherhood.org fatherhood.org/why-father-inclusion-matters

Empower Fathers and Families | Strengthen Communities ... Research shows that children with involved dads are more likely to have successful outcomes such as better performance in school, avoiding alcohol and substance ...

6. srcd.org srcd.org/research/responsible-fatherhood-programs-children-benefit-more-integrated-family-approach

Responsible Fatherhood Programs: Children Benefit from ... Evaluations of these RF programs reported small increases in fathers' involvement with their children, collaboration with their co-parents, and ...

7. acf.gov acf.gov/opre/report/pathways-outcomes-how-responsible-fatherhood-program-activities-may-lead-intended

How Responsible Fatherhood Program Activities May Lead ... The report presents four “Pathways-to-Outcomes” models for Responsible Fatherhood (RF) programs, each focusing on one outcome domain measured in the Parents ...

8. mathematica.org mathematica.org/features/long-journey-of-fatherhood-pact-evaluation

Supporting the Fatherhood Journey: Findings from ... Research shows that children with engaged fathers experience fewer behavioral and emotional problems and have healthier relationships of their own.

9. urban.org urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/31516/411623-Ten-Key-Findings-from-Responsible-Fatherhood-Initiatives.PDF

Ten Key Findings from Responsible Fatherhood Initiatives The programs targeted unemployed and underemployed noncustodial fathers and provided a range of services, including employment services, assistance with child ...