Pilot Study of an Interparental Conflict Intervention for Separating or Divorcing Parents

NCT07816445 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: STUDY00015304R34MH126052
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 94
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This pilot study will evaluate a new intervention for parents who are separated or divorced and have been court ordered to participate in a program addressing interparental conflict. The intervention is designed to teach parents skills to reduce children's exposure to conflict between parents and support children's well-being. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the new intervention or an existing court-based program. The study will examine the feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and usability of the new intervention and its effects on interparental conflict, parents' use of protective skills, and children's mental health.

Conditions

Interparental Conflict; Child Mental Health

Keywords

Parental Separation; Divorce; Interparental Conflict; Co-Parenting; Parent Education; Parenting Intervention; Children of Divorced Parents; Child Internalizing Problems; Child Externalizing Problems; Preventive Intervention; Family Court

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (9)

• Child Anxiety Symptoms

  Parent-reported child anxiety symptoms assessed using the Anxiety subscale of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 Parent Version (RCADS-25-P). The Anxiety subscale contains 15 items rated from 0 (Never) to 3 (Always). Raw scores range from 0 to 45, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety symptoms.

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Child Depressive Symptoms

  Parent-reported child depressive symptoms assessed using the Depression subscale of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 Parent Version (RCADS-25-P). The Depression subscale contains 10 items rated from 0 (Never) to 3 (Always). Raw scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater depressive symptoms.

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Child Irritability/Anger

  Parent-reported child irritability and anger assessed using the irritability/anger item of the DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure-Parent/Guardian-Rated Measure for Children Ages 6-17. The item is rated from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Nearly every day). Scores range from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater irritability/anger.

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Child Attention Problems

  Parent-reported child attention problems assessed using the attention item of the DSM-5 Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure-Parent/Guardian-Rated Measure for Children Ages 6-17. The item is rated from 0 (Not at all) to 4 (Nearly every day). Scores range from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater attention problems.

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Interparental Conflict

  Parent-reported interparental conflict assessed using the 13-item intensity and frequency subscales of the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale, adapted for parent report. Items are rated on a 3-point scale and appropriately reverse-scored. Using summed item scores coded from 0 to 2, total scores range from 0 to 26, with higher scores indicating greater interparental conflict.

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Intervention Feasibility

  Parent-reported feasibility assessed using the 4-item Feasibility of Intervention Measure (FIM). Items are rated from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree), with scores ranging from 4 to 20. Higher scores indicate greater perceived feasibility.

  Approximately 30 days after program completion

• Intervention Acceptability

  Parent-reported acceptability assessed using the 4-item Acceptability of Intervention Measure (AIM). Items are rated from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree), with scores ranging from 4 to 20. Higher scores indicate greater acceptability.

  Approximately 30 days after program completion

• Intervention Appropriateness

  Parent-reported appropriateness assessed using the 4-item Intervention Appropriateness Measure (IAM). Items are rated from 1 (Completely disagree) to 5 (Completely agree), with scores ranging from 4 to 20. Higher scores indicate greater perceived appropriateness.

  Approximately 30 days after program completion

• Intervention Usability

  Parent-reported intervention usability assessed using the 10-item Intervention Usability Scale (IUS). Items are rated on a 5-point agreement scale. Positively and negatively worded items are scored according to standard IUS scoring procedures, and the summed score is multiplied by 2.5. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater perceived intervention usability.

  Approximately 30 days after program completion

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Emotion Regulation Difficulties

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Confidence in Making a Safety Plan for Self

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

• Confidence in Making a Safety Plan for Children

  Baseline and 30 days after program completion

Study Arms (2)

Family COMPASS

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive Family COMPASS, a four-session parenting intervention for parents experiencing high levels of interparental conflict following separation or divorce.

Behavioral: Family COMPASS

Families in Transition (FIT)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants receive FIT, an existing 90-minute online parent education program designed to help separating or divorcing parents reduce interparental conflict and children's exposure to conflict.

Behavioral: Families in Transition (FIT)

Interventions

Family COMPASS BEHAVIORAL

Family COMPASS (Conflict Management through Purposeful Awareness, Strategies, and Support) is a manualized, trauma-informed parenting intervention designed to reduce children's exposure to interparental conflict following parental separation or divorce. The intervention consists of four highly structured, approximately 30-minute sessions delivered virtually or in person by trained personnel. It focuses on strengthening parents' emotion regulation, communication, co-parenting, conflict management, and safety planning skills.

Family COMPASS

Families in Transition (FIT) BEHAVIORAL

FIT is a 90-minute online parent education program developed by the Superior Court of Maricopa County in collaboration with the National Center for State Courts. The program includes four modules, a film, and interactive activities. It validates parents' difficult feelings toward their co-parent while emphasizing behavior change to protect children from interparental conflict. Content addresses the effects of interparental conflict on children, prioritizing children's needs, developing a child-focused vision for the future, and using practical strategies to reduce conflict behaviors.

Families in Transition (FIT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 88 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 years or older
• Fluent in English
• Court ordered to attend an intervention to reduce interparental conflict

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Arizona State University: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona, 85287, United States

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Karey L O'Hara, PhD

CONTACT

480-727-6136; klohara@asu.edu

Sharlene A Wolchik, PhD

CONTACT

wolchik@asu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 28, 2026
• First Posted: September 11, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2027
• Last Updated: September 11, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)