Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression, Problem Behaviors
Conditions
Keywords
Attachment, Intervention, Prevention
Brief summary
This study will determine the effectiveness of a relationship-based intervention in improving the interaction between caregivers and young children placed in their care.
Detailed 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.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALAttachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up
Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up is a 10 session in-home intervention that targets synchrony, nurturance, and calming parental behavior.
BEHAVIORALDevelopmental Education for Families
Developmental Education for Families is a 10-session in home intervention that targets children's cognitive development.
Sponsors
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
University of Delaware
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Months to 36 Months
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Toddler placed into foster care * Resident of Delaware and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania and Maryland
Exclusion criteria
* Significant medical problems
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment | Annually | The Preschool Strange Situation is conducted annually. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Functioning | Annually | Disruptive Behaviors-Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB-DOS) is used to assess problem behaviors. The DB-DOS consists of a series of challenging tasks that ask the child to inhibit prepotent behaviors and regulate emotions. |
| Diurnal production of cortisol | Annually | Three days of saliva sampling at wake-up and bedtime. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed