Anxiety, Coping Skills, Depression, Emotional Problem
Conditions
Keywords
optimization, parental divorce/separation, interparental conflict, adaptive coping, child mental health
Brief summary
This study will identify components for inclusion in a coping intervention package to reduce mental health problems among children exposed to high interparental conflict after parental separation/divorce. Reappraisal, distraction, and relaxation coping strategies are related to fewer mental health problems among children, making intervention components based on these strategies key candidates for inclusion in an optimized coping intervention. The primary aim is to experimentally assess the main and interactive effects of three digital intervention coping components (reappraisal, distraction, relaxation) on children's coping efficacy, emotional security, and internalizing and externalizing problems. Secondary aims are to assess indirect effects of the intervention components on children's coping efficacy, emotional security, and internalizing and externalizing problems through their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to post-separation/divorce interparental conflict events.
Detailed description
A randomized and counterbalanced 2x2x2 factorial trial (N = 144 children, ages 9-12) will be conducted to assess the individual effects of the three digital coping intervention components. The three components to be tested will be: (1) Reappraisal (No vs. Yes), (2) Distraction (No vs. Yes), (3) Relaxation (No vs. Yes). Components that meet a priori thresholds for meaningful change will be combined to form an intervention package that will be evaluated in a subsequent randomized controlled trial.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALEducation
This is a constant component; all participants will get a psychoeducation digital module.
BEHAVIORALReappraisal Coping
This digital module will teach reappraisal coping skills.
BEHAVIORALDistraction Coping
This digital module will teach distraction coping skills.
BEHAVIORALRelaxation Coping
This digital module will teach relaxation coping skills.
Sponsors
Arizona State University
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
9 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* child between ages 9-12 whose parents are separated or divorced * child and one parent are fluent in English * a parent with sufficient contact (i.e., at least 4 overnights and/or 12 daytime visits per month) with child who is willing to complete study assessments and has legal right to give permission for the child to participate in research * child-report of high exposure to IPC (mean Z score ≥ 40th percentile on the two child report measures of IPC; score standardization based on data from 559 youth whose parents participated in an experimental parenting program) * elevated internalizing or externalizing problems (T score in the borderline clinical range according to either child or parent report on the BPM).
Exclusion criteria
* in active therapy * score ≥ 99th percentile on either internalizing and externalizing problems subscale * endorse suicidality (will be ineligible for the study and referred for treatment)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| interparental emotional security | pretest at study entry | Security in the Interparental Subsystem Scale - Short Form (SIS-SF; Holt et al., 2020) 17 items rated on 4 point scale (0 = not at all true, 3 = very true for me) higher scores indicate better outcome |
| family emotional security | pretest at study entry | Security in the Family System Scale (SIFS; Forman \& Davies, 2005) 24 items rated on 4 point scale (0 = completely disagree, 3 = completely agree). higher scores indicate better outcome |
| coping efficacy | pretest at study entry | Coping Efficacy Scale (CES; Sandler et al., 2000) 7 items rated on 4 point scale (0 = not at all, 3 = very) higher scores indicate better outcome |
| internalizing problems | pretest at study entry | Brief Problem Monitor (BPM; parent and child report) 6 items rated on a 3 point scale (0= not true, 2 = very true) higher scores indicate worse outcome |
| externalizing problems | pretest at study entry | Brief Problem Monitor (BPM; parent and child report) 7 items rated on a 3 point scale (0= not true, 2 = very true) higher scores indicate worse outcome |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive appraisals - conflict specific | daily (6 weeks) | SIS-SF Internal Representations subscale (Holt et al., 2020; 6 items) |
| Cognitive appraisals - general | daily (6 weeks) | Threat and Worry Appraisal Scale (TWAS; Sheets et al., 1996; 6 items) |
| Emotional distress | daily (6 weeks) | SIS-SF Emotional Reactivity subscale (Holt et al., 2020; 3 items) |
| Physiological arousal | daily (6 weeks) | Responses to Stress Questionnaire for Parent Conflict Involuntary Engagement subscale (RSQ-PC; Connor-Smith et al., 2000; 3 items) |
| Coping behaviors - conflict specific | daily (6 weeks) | SIS-SF Involvement subscale (Holt et al., 2020; 3 items) |
| Coping behaviors - general | daily (6 weeks) | RSQ-PC primary control, secondary control, and disengagement coping subscales (Connor-Smith et al., 2000; 15-18 items). |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORKarey L O'Hara, PhD
Arizona State University
Outcome results
None listed