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Purpose

This study will involve a randomized, controlled trial with two parallel groups, Project Support and a treatment as usual control group. Families with a child on the waitlist for trauma-focused services will be invited to participate. Participation involves completing a baseline assessment of family functioning and trauma characteristics. Participants will then be randomized to either Project Support or the treatment as usual control group. All participants will be invited to complete the post-test assessment 4-6 weeks after the baseline assessment, prior to beginning trauma-focused services.

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 6 Years and 13 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Family is seeking trauma-focused services for their child; - Child is between 6 - 13 years old; - Caregiver agreed to be contacted for volunteer research opportunities; - Caregiver and child can communicate in English or Spanish; - Child has been living with caregiver for the last 6 months or longer; - Family is able to participate in services delivered via telehealth.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Child or caregiver has a diagnosis that would impair their ability to participate in or benefit from services (e.g., traumatic brain injury, developmental disability, psychosis); - Child is in Foster Care or Department of Social Services custody; - The caregiver is unwilling or unable to give informed consent and/or the child is unwilling and unable to give assent.

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Project Support 		All participants will complete a baseline assessment on demographics, parenting behaviors, and mental health symptoms. Participants randomized to the experimental condition will receive Project Support and be offered case management services. Approximately 4-6 weeks after the baseline assessment all participants will complete a post-test assessment that includes measures of service satisfaction.
  • Behavioral: Project Support
    The Project Support intervention involves up to four 60-minute individual counseling sessions focused on teaching caregivers how to listen to and comfort their child. Participants will receive didactic instruction and feedback on their use of the skills in role-plays with a treatment provider and with their child. In the role-plays the provider first demonstrates how to use the skill in a brief example of typical situations in which the skill could be used. In these examples the caregiver takes on the role of their child and the provider takes on the role of the caregiver. Subsequently the caregiver and provider switch roles so the caregiver has an opportunity to practice executing the skill. The provider helps the caregiver process their experience of each role-play and provides real-time, targeted feedback to help the caregiver develop their ability to use the skills.
  • Behavioral: Case Management Services
    Case management services, or treatment as usual, may involve referrals for financial resources or donated goods, as well as assistance with court, law enforcement, or information about orders of protection. The nature of these services depends on the needs identified by the family and case manager. There is currently no standard "treatment" offered to families on the waitlist. This condition will receive individually tailored services, as needed.
Other
Treatment as usual 		All participants will complete a baseline assessment on demographics, parenting behaviors, and mental health symptoms. Participants randomized to the treatment as usual condition will receive routine provision of case management services. Approximately 4-6 weeks after the baseline assessment all participants will complete a post-test assessment that includes measures of service satisfaction.
  • Behavioral: Case Management Services
    Case management services, or treatment as usual, may involve referrals for financial resources or donated goods, as well as assistance with court, law enforcement, or information about orders of protection. The nature of these services depends on the needs identified by the family and case manager. There is currently no standard "treatment" offered to families on the waitlist. This condition will receive individually tailored services, as needed.

Recruiting Locations

Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina 29425
Contact:
Principal Investigator
843-608-0491
rancher@musc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Medical University of South Carolina

Study Contact

Caitlin Rancher, PhD
843-608-0491
rancher@musc.edu

Detailed Description

The proposed research addresses the dearth of brief, empirically-supported programs designed for caregivers to mitigate the adverse effects of child trauma. This project will examine the telehealth delivery of Project Support, a program that addresses parenting skills and behavior problems among children exposed to violence or maltreatment. Project Support uses didactic, tailored instruction to teach caregivers how to listen to and comfort their child. This study builds on prior research which has found that Project Support is feasible and acceptable for both treatment providers and families on the waitlist for trauma-focused services. This phase of the research will examine the preliminary efficacy of Project Support in a randomized controlled trial, evaluating the impact of this intervention on caregiver emotional support, parenting self-efficacy, and family distress, compared to treatment as usual.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.