Social Intelligence Training for Custodial Grandfamilies

NCT ID: NCT03239977

Last Updated: 2020-09-02

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 680 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-05-31
• Study Completion Date: 2022-10-31

Brief Summary

This study is a randomized clinical trial designed to compare an online social intelligence intervention with an active control condition at improving the emotional, physical, and social well-being of custodial grandmothers and their adolescent grandchildren,

Detailed Description

The investigators examine the efficacy of an online Social Intelligence Intervention (SII) at improving the health and well-being of custodial grandmothers (CGMs) and their adolescent custodial grandchildren (ACG) through mutual enhancement of their social competencies. This target population is of particular importance because both CGMs and ACG experience significant early life adversities that lead to hypervigilance of others, mistrust, social isolation, interpersonal conflict, and the inability to garner warmth and support from family and friends. Numerous studies have shown that these relational challenges within "risky families" often lead to life-long interpersonal difficulties that increase the probability of behavioral and physical health problems. Furthermore, adolescence is a key period for the development of social competence, which is influenced by supportive caregiving and positive modeling from female parent figures. However, because the ability of CGMs to carry out this intergenerational transmission of social skills is challenged, examining joint social intelligence training for CGM-ACG dyads is valuable for reversing this negative sequela. Yet, to date, no other investigators have done so. To address this gap, ant an online randomized clinical trial will be conducted with 340 nationally-recruited CGM-ACG (ages 12-18) dyads assigned to either the SII or an attention control condition. Data will be obtained at pre- and post-test, and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups via questionnaires completed by phone. Daily dairies will be collected online from 170 randomly selected dyads, and qualitative interviews will be conducted with 60 dyads to probe how the SII affected their daily social competence and social ties. We will obtain quantitative and qualitative measures of key social cognitive processes, quality of close interpersonal ties, psychological well-being, and physical health. Administrative medical, criminal, and education records for all 340 dyads will also be obtained for cost-benefit analyses that examine changes in burden on public systems. These mixed-methods allow rigorous examination of four specific aims: (1) To investigate if the SII enhances social competencies that, in turn, produce long-term changes in relationship quality, well-being, and physical health; this includes determining if increased social competence in one dyad member leads to partner effects in the other; (2) To examine if cumulative risk, gender, and age moderate SII efficacy; (3) To study qualitatively how CGM-ACG dyads view the SII as having changed their social competencies and yielded positive outcomes; and (4) To assess the financial benefits of the SII to participants and their communities. These aims address a highly significant public health problem that will inform future efforts to support a wide range of high risk families, like custodial grandfamilies, who typically have insufficient access to formal support services. This SII is advantageous because it is inexpensive, delivered online, non-stigmatizing, and capable of reaching a target population that is geographically disperse and greatly in need of supportive programming.

Conditions

Emotional Intelligence; Quality of Life; Social Competence

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Online Social Intelligence Training

The Social Intelligence Intervention (SII) is delivered online to both custodial grandmothers and their adolescent grandchild separately. This is the sole active treatment condition within this RCT.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Online Social Intelligence Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The SII consists of short 5-10 minute sessions organized into 7 modules designed to raise awareness of human nature and social relationships. The approach is based on evidence that SII is best advanced through interventions that modify key social cognitions regarding social engagement and enhance efficacy expectations regarding performance in social situations.

Attention Control (AC)

The attention control (AC) condition, known as The Healthy Living program provides information about different aspects of health.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Attention Control (AC)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

A placebo condition delivered online to both custodial grandmothers and their adolescent grandchild which presents health-related information only.

Interventions

Online Social Intelligence Training

The SII consists of short 5-10 minute sessions organized into 7 modules designed to raise awareness of human nature and social relationships. The approach is based on evidence that SII is best advanced through interventions that modify key social cognitions regarding social engagement and enhance efficacy expectations regarding performance in social situations.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Attention Control (AC)

A placebo condition delivered online to both custodial grandmothers and their adolescent grandchild which presents health-related information only.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Grandmothers of any age or race
• Providing full-time care to an adolescent grandchild between ages 12-18
• Providing care in their own residence
• Providing care in total absence of the grandchild's biological parents.
• The target adolescent custodial grandchild will be of either gender
• Between ages 12- 18
• The custodial grandmother has provided full-time care for at least 6 months in total absence of the biological parents.
• Understanding of English well enough to comprehend all study materials.

Exclusion Criteria

• Cognitive or behavioral problems that limit the ability of grandmothers and grandchildren to comprehend the intervention and complete study measures

• Minimum Eligible Age: 12 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Kent State University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Gregory Smith

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Gregory C Smith, EdD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Kent State University

Locations

Kent State University

Kent, Ohio, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Gregory C Smith, EdD

Role: CONTACT

gsmith2@kent.edu

330 672-9993

Facility Contacts

Gregory C Smith, EdD

Role: primary

References

Infurna FJ, Castro SA, Webster BA, Dolbin-MacNab ML, Smith GC, Crowley DM, Musil C. Does Social Intelligence Training Improve Daily Well-Being and Responsiveness to Daily Negative and Positive Events in Custodial Grandmothers? J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2024 Jul 1;79(7):gbae069. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbae069.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 38695191 (View on PubMed)

Smith GC, Infurna FJ, Dolbin-MacNab M, Webster B, Castro S, Crowley DM, Musil C, Hu L, Hancock GR. A Randomized Clinical Trial of Online Social Intelligence Training With Custodial Grandmothers. Gerontologist. 2024 May 1;64(5):gnad079. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnad079.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 37354201 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

GCSmith RCT NIA

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id