Early Intervention For Families Experiencing Homelessness: A Randomized Trial Comparing Two Parenting Programs

Florida International University (FIU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Behavior Problem; Parenting

Treatments: Behavioral: Child Parent Psychotherapy; Behavioral: Parent Child Interaction Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04459845

IRB-17-0265-CR02

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to compare the efficacy in delivering two evidence-based parenting programs to families and young children experiencing homelessness. Outcomes evaluated include feasibility, treatment completion, treatment satisfaction of delivery of interventions as well as child outcomes (e.g., behavior problems, trauma symptoms) and parenting outcomes (parenting stress and parenting skills).

Full description

The number of homeless families in the U.S. has increased since the 1980s to over half a million as of 2018. Most troubling, in 2013 (the most recent year for which census data is available) one in every 30 children in the U.S., or 2.5 million, experienced homelessness. In addition to having disproportionally higher rates of unmet health needs (e.g., acute health problems, trauma-related injuries), children experiencing homelessness have staggering mental health needs such that 78% suffer from at least one mental health issue (e.g., depression, behavior problems) along with academic/developmental delays. Given that over half of all homeless children in the US are under the age of 6, it is particularly important to investigate the effectiveness of evidence-based parenting programs within a homeless population. This study aims to compare the efficacy in delivering two evidence-based parenting programs to families and young children experiencing homelessness.

Enrollment: 144 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 2 to 5 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Any child between the ages of 2 and 5 and his/her mother who is currently homeless and living in the Lotus House shelter.

Exclusion criteria

• Family is already involved in a parenting program or does not speak English or Spanish.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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144 participants in 2 patient groups

Parent Child Interaction Therapy

Active Comparator group

Description:

Parents and children will receive 12 weekly sessions of PCIT.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Parent Child Interaction Therapy

Child Parent Psychotherapy

Active Comparator group

Description:

Parents and children will receive 12 weekly sessions of CPP

Treatment:

Behavioral: Child Parent Psychotherapy