Study Results
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Basic Information
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ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
NA
136 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2000-09-30
2027-03-31
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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The BEIP began with comprehensive assessments of 136 institutionalized children and their caregiving environments prior to randomization. Half the children were randomly assigned to high-quality foster care and the other half to remain in institutional care. The average age at foster care placement was 22 months (range=6-31 months). All children were initially seen prior to randomization and again for follow-up assessments at 30 months, 42 months 54 months, 8 years, 12 year and 16 years of age. The development of children in foster care was compared to the development of children in institutions and to a group of never institutionalized children (community controls). These children, now young adults are being assessed at age 21 years.
Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
BASIC_SCIENCE
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Foster Care Placement Group
Children randomized to this group were placed in high quality foster care developed for the study.
Foster Care Placement
A group of children living in institutions in Bucharest, Romania was randomly assigned to placement in foster care. Foster parents were recruited, consented to background checks, and trained in Romanian. Before placement, foster parents visited their children to begin developing a relationship with the child. Hired foster parents were supported and monitored by project social workers. Foster parents in the BEIP network received frequent visits from the social workers, with visits occurring weekly for several months after placement of the child, then biweekly and later monthly. Foster parents were invited to participate in a support group organized by social workers. Project social workers consulted weekly with US staff experienced in dealing with young children in foster care.
Care As Usual Group
Children randomized to this group remained in institutional care.
No interventions assigned to this group
Interventions
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Foster Care Placement
A group of children living in institutions in Bucharest, Romania was randomly assigned to placement in foster care. Foster parents were recruited, consented to background checks, and trained in Romanian. Before placement, foster parents visited their children to begin developing a relationship with the child. Hired foster parents were supported and monitored by project social workers. Foster parents in the BEIP network received frequent visits from the social workers, with visits occurring weekly for several months after placement of the child, then biweekly and later monthly. Foster parents were invited to participate in a support group organized by social workers. Project social workers consulted weekly with US staff experienced in dealing with young children in foster care.
Other Intervention Names
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* target recruitment age is +/- 6 mos of 21st birthday
Exclusion Criteria
* viral or bacterial meningitis within the past 12 months
21 Years
24 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
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Tulane University Health Sciences Center
OTHER
University of Maryland
OTHER
University of Minnesota
OTHER
Temple University
OTHER
Duke University
OTHER
MacArthur Foundation
OTHER
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
NIH
Vanderbilt University
OTHER
Harvard University
OTHER
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
OTHER
University of Toronto
OTHER
Charles Alexander Nelson III
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Charles Alexander Nelson III
Richard David Scott Chair in Pediatric Developmental Medicine Research, Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience
Principal Investigators
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Charles A Nelson, Ph.D.
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard University
Nathan A. Fox, Ph.D.
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
University of Maryland
Charles H. Zeanah, M.D.
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Tulane University Health Sciences Center
Locations
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Fundatia Tanner
Bucharest, , Romania
Countries
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References
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Arnett AB, Antunez M, Zeanah C, Fox NA, Nelson CA. Physical and neurophysiological maturation associated with ADHD among previously institutionalized children: a randomized controlled trial. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2025 Jul;66(7):967-979. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.14110. Epub 2025 Jan 11.
Guyon-Harris KL, Plamondon A, Humphreys KL, Wade M, Gleason MM, Tibu F, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH. Structure of Psychopathology in Romanian Preschool-Aged Children in an Epidemiological and a High-Risk Sample. JAACAP Open. 2023 Nov;1(3):173-183. doi: 10.1016/j.jaacop.2023.06.004. Epub 2023 Jul 19.
King LS, Guyon-Harris KL, Valadez EA, Radulescu A, Fox NA, Nelson CA, Zeanah CH, Humphreys KL. A Comprehensive Multilevel Analysis of the Bucharest Early Intervention Project: Causal Effects on Recovery From Early Severe Deprivation. Am J Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 1;180(8):573-583. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220672. Epub 2023 May 22.
Humphreys KL, Guyon-Harris KL, Tibu F, Wade M, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH. Psychiatric outcomes following severe deprivation in early childhood: Follow-up of a randomized controlled trial at age 16. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2020 Dec;88(12):1079-1090. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000613.
Humphreys KL, Machlin LS, Guyon-Harris KL, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH. Psychosocial deprivation and receptive language ability: a two-sample study. J Neurodev Disord. 2020 Dec 16;12(1):36. doi: 10.1186/s11689-020-09341-2.
Slopen N, Tang A, Nelson CA, Zeanah CH, McDade TW, McLaughlin KA, Fox NA. The Consequences of Foster Care Versus Institutional Care in Early Childhood on Adolescent Cardiometabolic and Immune Markers: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychosom Med. 2019 Jun;81(5):449-457. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000696.
Wade M, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA, Drury SS. Telomere Length and Psychopathology: Specificity and Direction of Effects Within the Bucharest Early Intervention Project. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Jan;59(1):140-148.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2019.02.013. Epub 2019 Mar 4.
Wade M, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA. Effect of Foster Care Intervention on Trajectories of General and Specific Psychopathology Among Children With Histories of Institutional Rearing: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018 Nov 1;75(11):1137-1145. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.2556.
Johnson DE, Tang A, Almas AN, Degnan KA, McLaughlin KA, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Drury SS. Caregiving Disruptions Affect Growth and Pubertal Development in Early Adolescence in Institutionalized and Fostered Romanian Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Pediatr. 2018 Dec;203:345-353.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.07.027. Epub 2018 Aug 29.
Humphreys KL, Miron D, McLaughlin KA, Sheridan MA, Nelson CA, Fox NA, Zeanah CH. Foster care promotes adaptive functioning in early adolescence among children who experienced severe, early deprivation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2018 Jul;59(7):811-821. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12865. Epub 2018 Feb 1.
Humphreys KL, McGoron L, Sheridan MA, McLaughlin KA, Fox NA, Nelson CA 3rd, Zeanah CH. High-Quality Foster Care Mitigates Callous-Unemotional Traits Following Early Deprivation in Boys: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;54(12):977-83. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.09.010. Epub 2015 Oct 9.
Humphreys KL, Gleason MM, Drury SS, Miron D, Nelson CA 3rd, Fox NA, Zeanah CH. Effects of institutional rearing and foster care on psychopathology at age 12 years in Romania: follow-up of an open, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Psychiatry. 2015 Jul;2(7):625-34. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00095-4. Epub 2015 Jun 23.
Bick J, Zhu T, Stamoulis C, Fox NA, Zeanah C, Nelson CA. Effect of early institutionalization and foster care on long-term white matter development: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2015 Mar;169(3):211-9. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.3212.
Gleason MM, Fox NA, Drury S, Smyke A, Egger HL, Nelson CA 3rd, Gregas MC, Zeanah CH. Validity of evidence-derived criteria for reactive attachment disorder: indiscriminately social/disinhibited and emotionally withdrawn/inhibited types. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2011 Mar;50(3):216-231.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2010.12.012. Epub 2011 Feb 1.
Bos KJ, Zeanah CH Jr, Smyke AT, Fox NA, Nelson CA 3rd. Stereotypies in children with a history of early institutional care. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010 May;164(5):406-11. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.47.
Johnson DE, Guthrie D, Smyke AT, Koga SF, Fox NA, Zeanah CH, Nelson CA 3rd. Growth and associations between auxology, caregiving environment, and cognition in socially deprived Romanian children randomized to foster vs ongoing institutional care. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010 Jun;164(6):507-16. doi: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.56. Epub 2010 Apr 5.
Other Identifiers
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IRB-P00011741
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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