Putting Children First - Parent Training for Parents in High Conflict

NCT06809153 | Not Yet Recruiting Phase 2

• 1 other identifier: 1R44HD111084-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 500
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Intervention efficacy will be evaluated via a randomized controlled trial in Indiana over 17 weeks with 250 dyads (i.e., divorcing/divorced/separated parents). Dyads will be randomized to business as usual (BAU) or BAU+PCF. Compared to BAU, BAU+PCF will (a) increase parental self-efficacy, (b) decrease parental stress, (c) increase parental knowledge, (d) increase parental motivation to engage with the intervention, (f) increase the quality of parent-child relationships, and (g) improve parent-reported child stress and prosocial behaviors. Parents with higher levels of conflict will be more responsive to parallel parenting, and increased parallel parenting among HIC dyads will lead to reductions in child adjustment problems.

Conditions

Parenting Behavior; Parent Management Training; Parent-Child Relations; Child Behavior

Keywords

Online App

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Parenting Practices

  Parenting practices will be assessed using the Parenting Practices Inventory, a 72-item survey using a 4-point Likert-type scale with rating from 1 to 4 and higher scores indicating more use of the practice, thus higher scores are better outcomes. The subscales have demonstrated adequate internal reliability (alphas = .54 to .80) and have been used in multiple studies to evaluate parenting interventions

  Baseline and 15 weeks

• Parenting efficacy

  Parenting efficacy will be assessed using four, 6-item subscales from the Tool for Measuring Parent Self-Efficacy, measuring domains of play and enjoyment, discipline practices, perceived control in parenting, and acceptance of parenting role (internal consistency alphas = .80 to .89). Scores range from 1 "agree a lot" to 3 "don't know", with scores on the subscales ranging from 6 to 18 and higher scores indicating less self-efficacy, a worse outcome.

  Baseline and 15 weeks

• Parenting stress

  Parenting stress will be assessed using the Parenting Stress Scale, which is a brief 18-item Likert-type scale that includes four domains: parental rewards, parental stressors, lack of control, and parental satisfaction. Each item is on a 5-point scale ranging from 1 "Strongly Disagree" to 5 "Strongly Agree". The total scale (after reverse coding half the items) results in possible scores ranging from 18 to 90 with higher scores indicating more parenting stress. The scale has demonstrated good internal reliability (alphas = .86 to .88). This instrument is commonly used for both clinical and non-clinical samples.

  Baseline and 15 weeks

• Interparental conflict

  The Divorce Conflict Scale is a 6-item screener specifically addressing conflict and cooperation post-relationship/marital dissolution with good internal reliability (alpha reliability = .88). One item uses a 6 point scale ranging from 1 "all of the time" to 6 "at no time"; one item uses a 5-point scale ranging from 1 "very low level of conflict" to 5 "very high level of conflict"; the other 4 items use a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 "Strongly Agree" to 4 "Strongly Disagree". The total score ranges from 6 to 27, with higher scores indicating more conflict (worse outcome).

  Baseline and 15 weeks

• Motivation to engage with the PCF

  Motivation to engage with the Putting Children First training materials will be assessed using the Situational Motivation Scale. This is a 16-item Likert-type scale with four internally consistent factors (internal consistency alphas \> .77): intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, external regulation, and motivation. It uses a 7-point Likert Scale ranging from 1 "does not correspond at all" to 7 "corresponds exactly". The averages for each subscale are calculated with higher scores indicating higher motivation (positive outcome). This measure has been used extensively to evaluate motivation in many contexts and towards many activities, including mandated training.

  Baseline and 15 weeks

• Child behavior - Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

  Parent reports of child behavior will be assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire a brief behavior rating scale for 3- to 16-year-olds that assesses functioning in five domains, each with five items: emotional symptoms (alpha = .80), conduct problems (alpha = .77), hyperactivity (inattention, alpha = .90), peer problems (alpha = .63), and prosocial behavior (alpha =.83).Internal consistency alpha estimates were based on Low et al. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire uses a 3-point scale ranging from 0 "Not True" to 2 "Certainly True". Totals for each subscale are calculated, with higher scores on prosocial behaviors indicating a positive outcome and higher scores on the other four indicating negative outcomes.

  Baseline and 15 weeks

• Child Behavior - Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory

  The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory is a 36-item scale completed by parents about their children's behavior (ages 2-16 years) at home using a 7-point Intensity scale and a yes-or-no Problem scale. It identifies conduct problems such as noncompliance, defiance, aggressiveness, and impulsiveness. The Intensity and Problem scales demonstrate good psychometrics, with high internal consistency (both scales alpha = .98), significant test-retest reliability. The subscale averages range from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating higher levels of negative child behavior.

  Baseline and 15 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Putting Children First

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be given access to the PCF app for 15 weeks.

Behavioral: Putting Children First

Control - Business as Usual

NO INTERVENTION

Business as usual control participants will not be directed to any additional parenting trainings.

Interventions

Putting Children First BEHAVIORAL

An online parenting intervention for families experiencing high inter-parental conflict during divorce or separation. Children in these families are at greater risk of adverse health outcomes such as mental illness, substance use, and social adjustment problems. Putting Children First will include evidence-based parent training and employ motivational interviewing to increase engagement, will promote parallel parenting to help parents minimize conflict, thereby mitigating negative health outcomes in their children.

Putting Children First

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• parents who have recently experienced (within the past 2 years) divorce or separation, or are currently divorcing or separating.
• have children aged 4-12.
• Dyadic recruitment (both parents).
• identified by the court system as experiencing HIC.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• IRIS Media Inc: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Child Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Jordan Pennefather, PhD

CONTACT

877-874-3642; jordanp@trifoia.com

Adam Wendt

CONTACT

877-874-3642; adamw@trifoia.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior Scientist

Model Details: Two-arm design comparing the new intervention (PCF) to a business-as-usual control.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 22, 2025
• First Posted: February 5, 2025
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Last Updated: February 5, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, CSR
• Time Frame: After the final report of the grant is submitted and associated publications are accepted we will make the de-identified final research data and associated codebooks available within 6 months.