Putting Children First - Parent Training for Parents in High Conflict

NCT ID: NCT06809153

Last Updated: 2025-02-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 500 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2026-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2027-01-01

Brief Summary

Intervention efficacy will be evaluated via a randomized controlled trial in Indiana over 17 weeks with 250 dyads (i.e., divorcing/divorced/separated parents). Dyads will be randomized to business as usual (BAU) or BAU+PCF.

Compared to BAU, BAU+PCF will (a) increase parental self-efficacy, (b) decrease parental stress, (c) increase parental knowledge, (d) increase parental motivation to engage with the intervention, (f) increase the quality of parent-child relationships, and (g) improve parent-reported child stress and prosocial behaviors.

Parents with higher levels of conflict will be more responsive to parallel parenting, and increased parallel parenting among HIC dyads will lead to reductions in child adjustment problems.

Detailed Description

Intervention efficacy will be evaluated via a randomized controlled trial in Indiana over 17 weeks with 250 dyads (i.e., divorcing/divorced/separated parents). Dyads will be randomized to business as usual (BAU) or BAU+PCF. Given Indiana rules requiring parent education among divorcing and separating parents (i.e., BAU), the investigators expect nearly all divorcing parents to complete some form of parent education. Thus, the investigators will collect information from the court system on courses provided, as well as ask participants about the courses they have engaged in and the time spent. This aligns with best practice standards defining the control condition135; 136 and allows for a demonstration of whether PCF has benefits above and beyond existing interventions (BAU). The time spent on trainings will be included in the outcome analyses as a covariate. The trial will include 1 week for pre-test assessments, 9 weeks for PCF training, 6 weeks for reflection/practice, and 1 week for post-test assessments).

Hypotheses. The investigators hypothesize that:

Compared to BAU, BAU+PCF will (a) increase parental self-efficacy, (b) decrease parental stress, (c) increase parental knowledge, (d) increase parental motivation to engage with the intervention, (f) increase the quality of parent-child relationships, and (g) improve parent-reported child stress and prosocial behaviors.

Parents with higher levels of conflict will be more responsive to parallel parenting, and increased parallel parenting among HIC dyads will lead to reductions in child adjustment problems.

Participants. The sample will consist of parents who have recently experienced (within the past 2 years) divorce or separation, or are currently divorcing or separating, and who have children aged 4-12. Parents will be referred to the PCF intervention from family courts in Indiana (see Letters of Support) as they are identified by the court system as experiencing HIC. To approximate the real world and ensure that the sample is representative, family court judges, who would likely mandate completion of this intervention, will refer families they deem "high conflict." To be eligible for the study, both parents must consent. Because the stress of divorce and high levels of conflict can be deleterious to mental health and well-being, all participants in the study will be provided with a list of resources for individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or intimate partner violence in their local area, and will be encouraged to seek assistance if needed. Attrition rates of parenting interventions are often high.137 However, the investigators have instituted practices to enhance retention (e.g., regular reminders, reasonable pacing of the training to 1 module per week, motivational interviewing). From the investigators experience in similar studies, the investigators expect attrition of less than 30%.42; 138 Since the research design requires both members of the dyad to complete the assessments, the investigators define attrition as one parent failing to complete posttest assessments. The investigators plan to recruit 250 dyads (500 parents) to ensure a final sample of at least 175 dyads (see Power Considerations).

Conditions

Parenting Behavior; Parent Management Training; Parent-Child Relations; Child Behavior

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Putting Children First

Participants will be given access to the PCF app for 15 weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Putting Children First

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

An online parenting intervention for families experiencing high inter-parental conflict during divorce or separation. Children in these families are at greater risk of adverse health outcomes such as mental illness, substance use, and social adjustment problems. Putting Children First will include evidence-based parent training and employ motivational interviewing to increase engagement, will promote parallel parenting to help parents minimize conflict, thereby mitigating negative health outcomes in their children.

Control - Business as Usual

Business as usual control participants will not be directed to any additional parenting trainings.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Putting Children First

An online parenting intervention for families experiencing high inter-parental conflict during divorce or separation. Children in these families are at greater risk of adverse health outcomes such as mental illness, substance use, and social adjustment problems. Putting Children First will include evidence-based parent training and employ motivational interviewing to increase engagement, will promote parallel parenting to help parents minimize conflict, thereby mitigating negative health outcomes in their children.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• parents who have recently experienced (within the past 2 years) divorce or separation, or are currently divorcing or separating.
• have children aged 4-12.
• Dyadic recruitment (both parents).
• identified by the court system as experiencing HIC.

Exclusion Criteria

-

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

Sponsors

IRIS Media Inc

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Jordan Pennefather

Senior Scientist

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Central Contacts

Jordan Pennefather, PhD

Role: CONTACT

jordanp@trifoia.com

877-874-3642

Adam Wendt

Role: CONTACT

adamw@trifoia.com

877-874-3642

Other Identifiers

1R44HD111084-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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