Trial Outcomes & Findings for Improving Delay Discounting to Decrease Harsh Parenting Among Parents Receiving Substance Use Treatment (NCT NCT05229120)

Last Updated: 2025-03-14

Results Overview

The 5-Trial Adjusting Delay (Temporal Discounting) Task is a computer based system which uses an adjusting algorithm to determine the amount of immediately available money that is equivalent to a large sum that is delayed by seven discrete durations of time presented in a randomized order (i.e., 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, and 25 years). The length of delay is titrated based on participants' responses to previous items to determine an "indifference point" (the point at which the sums of money are perceived as equal). This is then converted to a k-value and logarithmically transformed to ensure the values are normally distributed, making them unbounded by min and max values. Higher k-values indicate a greater preference for immediate rewards. Change in Delay Discounting is evaluated by comparing baseline k-value scores with scores at the intervention (approximately 1 week after baseline) and the post-intervention assessment (approximately 4 weeks after baseline).

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

Target enrollment

38 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Baseline and 4 weeks

Results posted on

2025-03-14

Participant Flow

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Overall Study STARTED	38
Overall Study Completed Baseline Questionnaire	18
Overall Study Completed Parent Intervention	15
Overall Study Completed Parent-Child Interaction (PCI)	13
Overall Study COMPLETED	30
Overall Study NOT COMPLETED	8

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Overall Study Withdrawal by Subject	8

Baseline Characteristics

Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking n=38 Participants Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Age, Categorical <=18 years	18 Participants n=38 Participants
Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years	20 Participants n=38 Participants
Age, Categorical >=65 years	0 Participants n=38 Participants
Age, Continuous Adult Participants	37.6 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 5.7 • n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Age, Continuous Child Participants	7.9 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.5 • n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Sex: Female, Male Parent participants · Female	11 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data presented separately for parent and child participants.
Sex: Female, Male Parent participants · Male	9 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data presented separately for parent and child participants.
Sex: Female, Male Child participants · Female	14 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data presented separately for parent and child participants.
Sex: Female, Male Child participants · Male	4 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data presented separately for parent and child participants.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Parent participants · Hispanic or Latino	3 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Parent participants · Not Hispanic or Latino	17 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Parent participants · Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Child participants · Hispanic or Latino	1 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Child participants · Not Hispanic or Latino	17 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB) Child participants · Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · American Indian or Alaska Native	00 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · Asian	0 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	1 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · Black or African American	4 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · White	14 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · More than one race	0 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Parent Participants · Unknown or Not Reported	1 Participants n=20 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · American Indian or Alaska Native	0 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · Asian	0 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander	1 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · Black or African American	5 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · White	11 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · More than one race	1 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Race (NIH/OMB) Child Participants · Unknown or Not Reported	0 Participants n=18 Participants • Demographic data reported separately for parent and child participants.
Region of Enrollment United States	38 participants n=38 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline and 4 weeks

Population: Participants included in analyses were those who completed the measure at both baseline and 4 weeks post.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking n=11 Participants Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Change in Delay Discounting 5 Trial Adjusted Measure Delay discounting (k-value) at baseline	-3.87 log (k) Standard Deviation 3.81
Change in Delay Discounting 5 Trial Adjusted Measure Delay discounting (k-value) at follow-up	-5.03 log (k) Standard Deviation 2.38

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 4 weeks

Population: All parent participants who completed baseline and follow-up assessments.

The Consideration of Future Consequences Scale-Parenting Adapted (CFCS-14-PA) is a 14-item self-report questionnaire composed of two subscales reflecting either immediate or future orientation related to parents interactions with their children. Items range from "not at all like me" (1) to "very much like me" (5) and are summed to create a total score with higher values reflecting greater future orientation. Scores range from 14 to 70. Change in CFCS-14-PA score is measured by comparing scores at the post-intervention assessment (approximately 4 weeks after baseline) with baseline scores.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking n=15 Participants Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Change in Consideration of Future Consequences Scale - Parenting Adapted CFCS-14-PA Total Score at Baseline	54.93 score on a scale Standard Deviation 6.08
Change in Consideration of Future Consequences Scale - Parenting Adapted CFCS-14-PA Total Score at Follow-Up	53.80 score on a scale Standard Deviation 7.82

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 4 weeks

Population: Analyses included 6 parent-child dyads who completed both the pre- and post-intervention parent-child interaction task.

Parents and their children will complete a 20-minute interaction task, including 5 min. of free play, a 10 min. "homework" task, and a 5 min. clean up task. Interactions are recorded and coded using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS), measuring the quality of parent and child interactions. The task is coded for 7 subscales, yielding 2 composite scores: positive parenting (a sum of: unlabeled praise, labeled praise, positive touch, reflection, and behavior description) and negative parenting (a sum of: negative talk and negative touch). Each instance of a behaviors described in the subscale (e.g., a parent giving unlabeled praise) is coded as one "point," which are summed into a subscale (no max or min values). Higher values indicate greater positive or negative parenting. Change in positive parenting and negative parenting scores will be calculated by comparing baseline scores with scores at the post-intervention sessions (approximately 4 weeks after baseline).

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking n=6 Participants Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Change in Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System Scores Positive Parenting Composite at Baseline	4.83 score on a scale Standard Deviation 2.48
Change in Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System Scores Negative Parenting at Baseline	3.17 score on a scale Standard Deviation 4.07
Change in Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System Scores Positive Parenting Composite at Follow-Up	4.83 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.60
Change in Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System Scores Negative Parenting at Follow-Up	5.17 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.94

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Baseline, 4 weeks

Population: All parents who completed the APQ at baseline and post-intervention were included.

The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) is a 42-item self-report measure of parenting behaviors which yields five subscales: (1) positive involvement with children (range 10-50, higher = more involvement), (2) use of positive parenting strategies (range 6-30, higher = more positive strategies), (3) poor parental monitoring/supervision (range 10-50, higher = worse supervision), (4) inconsistent discipline (range 6-30, higher = more inconsistent discipline), and (5) use of corporal punishment (range 3-15, higher = more corporal punishment). Items are summed to create subscale scores. Change in each of the five APQ subscale scores will be measured by comparing post-intervention scores (approximately 4 weeks after baseline) with baseline scores.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure	Episodic Future Thinking n=13 Participants Parents who are receiving residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment will receive an adapted episodic future thinking focused condition. Parents will meet with peer recovery coaches (PRCs) who will administer the intervention, focused on generating future, pleasant events with their children. After the intervention session, parents will receive a daily postcard over the course of two weeks including a reminder cue generated as part of the episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention and a prompt to remember these episodes in vivid detail. Episodic Future Thinking: The adapted episodic future thinking (EFT) intervention will focus on generation of vivid, substance-free, rewarding events that could happen in the future with their children.
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Involved Parenting at Baseline	38.93 score on a scale Standard Deviation 6.08
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Positive Parenting at Baseline	26.5 score on a scale Standard Deviation 2.79
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Poor Parental Monitoring at Baseline	15.22 score on a scale Standard Deviation 4.54
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Inconsistent Parenting at Baseline	15.14 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.84
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Corporal Punishment at Baseline	5.21 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.93
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Involved Parenting at Follow-Up	38.94 score on a scale Standard Deviation 6.88
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Positive Parenting at Follow-Up	25.71 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.38
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Poor Parental Monitoring at Follow-Up	16.43 score on a scale Standard Deviation 4.80
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Inconsistent Parenting at Follow-Up	15.66 score on a scale Standard Deviation 3.96
Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores Corporal Punishment at Follow-Up	5.07 score on a scale Standard Deviation 1.54

Adverse Events

Episodic Future Thinking

Serious events: 0 serious events

Other events: 0 other events

Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Julia Felton, PhD

Henry Ford Health

Phone: 704-995-7832

Email: [email protected]

Results disclosure agreements

Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
Publication restrictions are in place