Fatherhood Education for Responsible Parenting Skills

Overseen By Katrina R Johnson, EMBA

Age: 18+

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Horizon Outreach

Disqualifiers: Not a father, 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

1200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Horizon Outreach has developed the Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program (HEFP). HEFP includes a program/services aspect, but also includes a rigorous evaluation component, featuring a randomized control trial (RCT) research design. The evaluation will determine the effect of the Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program with fathers aged 18 and up in Houston, Texas. Specifically, the research is examining the effects of the program relative to: (1) improvement in healthy relationship and marriage skills, (2) improvement in parenting skills, (3) improvement in conflict resolution and anger management skills, and (4) improvement in financial management skills and progress toward greater economic stability. Program participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group. Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive the program now. Participants assigned to the control group will have an opportunity to receive the program later. All participants (intervention and control) will complete a pretest questionnaire. Intervention participants will then participate in the Horizon Eagle Fatherhood program. This is an intensive 40-hour classroom-based program taught by project staff. Both intervention and control participants will receive case management services. Following completion of the program by the intervention participants, all participants will complete a posttest questionnaire. After completion of the posttest, all participants will have an opportunity to participate in a workforce training program. Six months following posttest, all participants will complete a third questionnaire. In addition, a selected number of participants will participate in focus groups. After completing the six-month follow-up questionnaire, participants from the control group may participate in the 40 hours of classroom instruction, should they choose to do so. This RCT research design component of the Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program began in June of the second project year. Prior to the start of the RCT, a pilot/readiness project with no control group was conducted. This was followed by a short-term pilot of the RCT.

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. It seems to focus on parenting and relationship skills, so it's unlikely that medication changes are required.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program (HEFP)?

Research shows that educational programs for fathers can improve father-infant interactions and help fathers feel more confident in their parenting role. Programs like the 24/7 Dad® Curriculum have been effective in increasing father involvement, which is important for healthy families. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Fatherhood Education for Responsible Parenting Skills program safe for participants?

The research articles reviewed do not provide specific safety data for the Fatherhood Education for Responsible Parenting Skills program or its related names. However, similar fatherhood programs have been implemented widely without reported safety concerns, suggesting they are generally safe for participants. ^{4 5 6 7 8}

How is the Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program different from other fatherhood education treatments?

The Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program is unique because it specifically targets fathers, addressing the gap in parenting programs that traditionally focus on mothers. It aims to improve father involvement and parenting skills, which is a novel approach compared to existing programs that often overlook the role of fathers. ^{1 2 4 9 10}

Research Team

Michael Young, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

Educational Evaluators, Inc; Center for Evidence-Based Programming

Eligibility Criteria

The Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program is for fathers aged 18 and older living in Houston, Texas who have at least one child under the age of 24. It's designed to help them improve their skills in relationships, parenting, conflict resolution, anger management, and financial stability.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 18 years old or older.

I am a father.

I have a child who is under 24 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

I am under 18 years old.

I am not a father.

I do not have children under the age of 24.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants in the intervention group receive a 40-hour classroom-based program focusing on Fatherhood Development, Relationship Enhancement, and Financial Literacy.

Approximately 1 week

Posttest and Workforce Training

All participants complete a posttest questionnaire and have the opportunity to participate in a workforce training program.

1-2 weeks

Follow-up

Participants complete a follow-up questionnaire six months after the posttest to assess long-term outcomes.

6 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program

Trial Overview This trial tests the effectiveness of a classroom-based fatherhood program through a randomized control trial (RCT). Fathers are randomly chosen to either start the program immediately or be placed in a control group that can access it later.

Participant Groups

Group I: Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Programming - classroom instruction Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The intervention (the Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Programming) is an intensive 40-hour classroom-based program taught by project staff. This instruction addresses topics such as Fatherhood Development, Relationship Enhancement, and Financial Literacy, and features the 24/7 Dad curriculum as part of the instruction. Intervention participants and control participants will have an opportunity to participate in case management services and workforce training.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

The control group does not receive any part of the classroom instruction that the intervention group receives. Like the intervention group, however, the control group does have access to case management and workforce training.

Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Horizon Eagle Fatherhood Program for:

• Improvement in healthy relationship and marriage skills
• Improvement in parenting skills
• Improvement in conflict resolution and anger management skills
• Improvement in financial management skills and progress toward greater economic stability

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Horizon Outreach

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

1,200+

Findings from Research

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]

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]

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 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]

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 '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]

A one-day workshop for Health Visitors and Community Practitioners significantly improved their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding engaging fathers in the Healthy Child Programme, with these improvements lasting for at least three months after the training.

Despite the positive impact of the workshop, participants identified ongoing barriers to engaging fathers, suggesting that NHS Trusts need to enhance training and adopt a more strategic approach to father-inclusive practices.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a brief intervention to assist health visitors and community practitioners to engage with fathers as part of the healthy child initiative. Humphries, H., Nolan, M.[2016]

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]

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]

A parenting education program for first-time fathers of 5-month-old infants was perceived as useful, highlighting that fathers have different educational needs compared to mothers.

The program, which included videotaped self-modeling and feedback, showed that fathers who participated improved their interaction with their infants, suggesting its potential effectiveness in public health settings, although demographic factors did not predict which fathers benefited.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Strengthening new fathers' skills in interaction with their 5-month-old infants: who benefits from a brief intervention? Benzies, K., Magill-Evans, J., Harrison, MJ., et al.[2022]

References

1. Korea (South) 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. [2022]

2. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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

3. United States 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. [2020]

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

Effectiveness of a 24/7 Dad® Curriculum in Improving Father Involvement: Profiles of Engagement. [2022]

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

Introduction to special section: Federally funded, community-based healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood program impact studies. [2022]

6. England 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. [2022]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation of a brief intervention to assist health visitors and community practitioners to engage with fathers as part of the healthy child initiative. [2016]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

*The efficacy of the attachment-based SAFE® prevention program: a randomized control trial including mothers and fathers. [2020]

9. England 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. [2019]

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

Strengthening new fathers' skills in interaction with their 5-month-old infants: who benefits from a brief intervention? [2022]