Mental Health Services for Foster and Adopted Children

University of Delaware

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 1

Conditions: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Problem Behaviors; Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: Developmental Education for Families; Behavioral: Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00056303

DSIR 84-CTCT

R01MH052135 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will determine the effectiveness of a relationship-based intervention in improving the interaction between caregivers and young children placed in their care.

Full description

Infants and toddlers who are placed into foster or adoptive care often exhibit a number of behavioral, emotional, and physiological problems. In the absence of specialized services, problems in the relationship between caregiver and child may develop; problems in the child's functioning often persist and are exacerbated. This study will attempt to alleviate the attachment and regulatory difficulties that affect many young children placed into care.

Children are randomly assigned to either an experimental group or to a treatment control group for 3 years. The experimental group focuses on relational issues; the control group focuses on cognitive development. Caregivers receiving the relational intervention are trained to provide nurturing care, and to help children learn to develop adequate regulatory skills. Caregivers in the treatment control group receive training designed to enhance children's cognitive development. Caregivers in both groups will receive 10 home visits. Observations of children and parents are used to assess participants.

Enrollment: 220 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 20 to 36 months old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Toddler placed into foster care
• Resident of Delaware and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania and Maryland

Exclusion criteria

• Significant medical problems

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

---

220 participants in 2 patient groups

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up

Experimental group

Description:

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up targets nurturance, synchrony, and non-frightening behavior, as well as providing caregivers with help calming toddlers.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up

Developmental Education for Families

Active Comparator group

Description:

Developmental Education for Families targets providing cognitive stimulation to their children.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Developmental Education for Families