Technology-Enhanced Helping the Noncompliant Child (TE-HNC)

University of North Carolina (UNC)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Child Externalizing Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC); Behavioral: Technology-Enhanced Helping the Noncompliant Child (TE-HNC)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01367847

1R34MH082956-01A2 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

10-0740

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aimed to examine if technology could enhance the treatment engagement and outcomes of low income parents of 3 to 8 children with externalizing problems.

Full description

The aim of this pilot study is to determine whether a technology-enhanced version of an established behavioral treatment protocol, Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC; McMahon & Forehand), enhances the engagement and treatment outcomes of lower income parents of 3 to 8 children with externalizing problems in treatment. It is predicted that families in both the HNC and technology-enhanced HNC (TE-HNC) programs will evidence significant improvement in parenting behavior and child externalizing problems; however, it is predicted that parent-child dyads in the TE-HNC program will require fewer sessions, will be more likely to be retained in the program, will be more likely to remain engaged in the program (e.g., practicing skills between sessions etc.), and will be more likely to have active involvement from their coparenting partners (i.e., other adults and family members who participate in childrearing).In turn, it is expected that the TE-HNC program will boost treatment outcomes.

Enrollment: 22 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 8 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Lower income
• caregiver/parent is legal guardian
• 3 to 8 year old child
• child meets criteria for externalizing disorder or significant externalizing symptoms

Exclusion criteria

• Prior report of child abuse or neglect
• current substance abuse/dependence
• legal guardian reading level less than 8th grade
• child has developmental disability that precludes caregiver utilizing the skills

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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22 participants in 2 patient groups

Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Standard HNC (see HNC Arm/Title) Program plus Technology-Enhancement (smartphones, which are being used for mid-week video calls to check-in re: skill-building, videotaping of family practice of skills at home, daily surveys re: skills practice \& child behavior, reminders re: practice \& sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC)

Technology-Enhanced HNC (TE-HNC)

Experimental group

Description:

Standard HNC (see HNC Arm/Title) Program plus Technology-Enhancement (smartphones, which are being used for mid-week video calls to check-in re: skill-building, videotaping of family practice of skills at home, daily surveys re: skills practice \& child behavior, reminders re: practice \& sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Technology-Enhanced Helping the Noncompliant Child (TE-HNC)