Chicago Parent Program for Foster and Kinship Caregivers

Official title

The Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care: A Randomized Control Trial Examining the Prevention of Behavior Problems Among Young Children in Foster Care Through Group-based Foster Caregiver Training

Overview

The primary objective of this study is to test the effects of an evidence-based prevention intervention (CPP) adapted for foster and kinship caregivers of young children (FC; foster care) on caregiver competence and child behavior problems for children in foster care compared with an active comparator group that receives standard supports through the child welfare and healthcare systems (i.e., usual care).

Detailed description

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of an evidence-based parenting program, The Chicago Parent Program (CPP) adapted for foster and kinship caregivers of young children (CPP-FC). A parallel, two-arm, randomized controlled trial of 300 caregiver-youth dyads will be conducted, comparing the impact of CPP-FC versus a usual care control on caregivers and foster youth. Quantitative and qualitative data about CPP-FC will be collected from foster and kinship caregivers and through observations of caregivers and youth. The findings from this study will demonstrate whether CPP-FC is effective in reducing behavior problems in young foster children and whether that contributes to reduced caregiver stress, increased caregiver confidence, increased positive parenting behavior, and longer lengths of time that children remain with foster and kinship caregivers, preventing unnecessary moves from one caregiver to another and improving child wellbeing.

Interventions

• Behavioral Chicago Parent Program for Foster Care
  CPP-FC consists of 12 two-hour sessions delivered virtually by two trained group leaders over 16 weeks (11 concurrent weeks, 1 one-month booster) in a group-based format. Foster and kinship caregivers of young children are systematically taught parenting skills through group discussions, videotaped vignettes, structured role play and weekly homework assignments.
• Other Usual Care
  The Usual Care control will receive services from the county, CHECK clinic, and for licensed caregivers, their licensing agency per usual care. Caregivers receive training and support from their county and/or private licensing agency, children are referred to community services by the caseworker when behaviors emerge, and support from behavioral health specialists is available when caregivers request them.

Primary outcome measures

• Change in Parental Stress Scale [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]
• Change in Perceived Stress Scale [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]
• The Child Adjustment & Parent Efficacy Scale, Total Intensity subscale [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]
• The Child Adjustment & Parent Efficacy Scale, Parenting Efficacy subscale [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]
• Change in Parenting Sense of Competence Scale [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]

Secondary outcome measures (4)

• Change in Parenting Behaviors and Dimensions Questionnaire [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]
• Change in child behavior [Time frame: Baseline, 3 months (mid-point), and 6 months (follow-up)]
• Change in child self-regulation [Time frame: Baseline and 3 months]
• Number of children experiencing placement change due to child behavior problems. [Time frame: 12 months]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Must be a licensed foster caregiver or kinship caregiver to a foster child between the ages of 2 and less than 9 years of age
• Must be a licensed foster caregiver or kinship caregiver to a foster child in Ohio and in the custody of Hamilton County Job and Family Services, Butler County Children Services, or Montgomery County Children Services
• Must be in good standing with the foster care agency
• Must be English-speaking

Exclusion criteria

• Not having a foster child between the ages of 2 and less than 9 years
• The foster child not being in the custody of Ohio counties: Hamilton County Job and Family Services, Butler County Children Services, or Montgomery County Children Services
• The foster child was placed in the home more than 45 days prior to enrollment
• The foster child being moved out of the placement prior to the start of the intervention
• The foster child having been previously enrolled with another caregiver
• The caregiver having been previously enrolled with another child
• The caregiver unable to commit to completing all study activities
• The foster child is not enrolled in the study

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Double blind

Primary purpose

Prevention

Study locations

United States · 1 center

• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center — Cincinnati

Publications

• Berry, J. O., & Jones, W. H. (1995). The parental stress scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 12, 463-472. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0265407595123009
• Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. No abstract available. PMID 6668417
• Gibaud-Wallston J, Wandersman LP. Parenting Sense of Competence Scale. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.; 1978. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-
• Reid CA, Roberts LD, Roberts CM, Piek JP. Towards a model of contemporary parenting: the parenting behaviours and dimensions questionnaire. PLoS One. 2015 Jun 4;10(6):e0114179. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114179. eCollection 2015. PMID 26043107
• Goodman R. Psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001 Nov;40(11):1337-45. doi: 10.1097/00004583-200111000-00015. PMID 11699809
• Research and Training DPICS-IV Manual (2013). PCIT. Accessed October 5, 2021. http://www.pcit.org/store/p19/Research_and_Training_DPICS-IV_Manual_%282013%29.html
• Taichman DB, Sahni P, Pinborg A, Peiperl L, Laine C, James A, Hong ST, Haileamlak A, Gollogly L, Godlee F, Frizelle FA, Florenzano F, Drazen JM, Bauchner H, Baethge C, Backus J. Data Sharing Statements for Clinical Trials: A Requirement of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Jul 4;167(1):63-65. doi: 10.7326/M17-1028. Epub 2017 Jun 6. No abstract available. PMID 28586790
• Alina Morawska, Matthew R Sanders, Divna Haslam, Ania Filus & Renee Fletcher (2014) Child Adjustment and Parent Efficacy Scale: Development and Initial Validation of a Parent Report Measure, Australian Psychologist, 49:4, 241-252, DOI: 10.1111/ap.12057

Identifiers

NCT: NCT06170047 · R01HD105727

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗