Preliminary Efficacy of AdoptMindful2Care: A Pilot RCT With Adoptive Parents

NCT ID: NCT07043660

Last Updated: 2025-06-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

78 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-06-30

Study Completion Date

2027-02-28

Brief Summary

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Adoptive parents often face additional challenges related to the adoption process, which can increase their vulnerability to parenting stress and negatively affect their parenting practices and overall family well-being. These risks highlight the urgent need to implement post-adoption interventions that reduce parenting stress and promote both parental well-being and positive parenting practices.

In this study, we aim to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of AdoptMindful2Care, a new 8-week, face-to-face, group-based psychological intervention grounded in the principles of mindful parenting. This pilot randomized controlled trial, which uses a two-arm design, serves as a preliminary step before conducting the full-scale RCT planned for AdoptMindful2Care.

We will invite both mothers and fathers to participate if they have at least one adoptive child between the ages of 2 and 17 and if the legal adoption decree was finalized in court at least 12 months before enrollment. We will target parents who report moderate to high levels of parenting stress. With the support of all Portuguese governmental adoption agencies, we plan to recruit a minimum of 78 families.

After parents express interest in participating, we will screen them to assess their levels of parenting stress. For those who meet the initial criteria, we will conduct a structured clinical interview (SCID-5-CV) to rule out severe mental illness. If they meet all inclusion criteria and present no exclusion criteria, we will proceed with a final interview to guide them through the informed consent process.

We will randomly assign eligible participants to either the intervention group (AdoptMindful2Care) or a waitlist control group (who will receive the intervention after the study concludes). All participants will be informed that they will be randomized to one of the study groups and that they will only be included if they give informed consent to participate in the study. We will deliver the intervention in person, in a group format, through eight weekly sessions and one follow-up session, each lasting approximately 90 minutes.

All participants will complete assessments at three time points: baseline, post-intervention, and 2-month follow-up. These assessments will include self-report measures (e.g., parenting stress) and hetero-report measures (e.g., children's emotional and developmental difficulties).

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Parenting Stress

Keywords

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parenting stress mindful parenting intervention adoptive parents postadoption

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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AdoptMindful2Care Intervention

Adoptive mothers and fathers will receive a structured 8-week group program based on mindful parenting principles, delivered in person during the study period

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

AdoptMindful2Care

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

AdoptMindful2Care is a mindful parenting post-adoption intervention with eight weekly group sessions (approximately 90 minutes each), delivered in person by trained psychologists, plus one follow-up session held two months after completion. The intervention integrates psychoeducation, mindfulness-based exercises, mindful parenting and self-compassion practices, as well as strategies informed by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The program is designed to help adoptive parents reduce parenting stress and promote positive parenting practices.

Waiting list group

Adoptive mothers and fathers will not receive the intervention during the study period but will be offered and receive AdoptMindful2Care after the final follow-up assessment is completed.

Group Type OTHER

AdoptMindful2Care

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

AdoptMindful2Care is a mindful parenting post-adoption intervention with eight weekly group sessions (approximately 90 minutes each), delivered in person by trained psychologists, plus one follow-up session held two months after completion. The intervention integrates psychoeducation, mindfulness-based exercises, mindful parenting and self-compassion practices, as well as strategies informed by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The program is designed to help adoptive parents reduce parenting stress and promote positive parenting practices.

Interventions

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AdoptMindful2Care

AdoptMindful2Care is a mindful parenting post-adoption intervention with eight weekly group sessions (approximately 90 minutes each), delivered in person by trained psychologists, plus one follow-up session held two months after completion. The intervention integrates psychoeducation, mindfulness-based exercises, mindful parenting and self-compassion practices, as well as strategies informed by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The program is designed to help adoptive parents reduce parenting stress and promote positive parenting practices.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Being a mother and/or father of at least one adoptive child aged between 2 and 17 years old, inclusive.
* The adoption must have been legally finalized in court for more than 12 months.
* Presence of moderate to high levels of parenting stress.

Exclusion Criteria

* Presence of a severe mental disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, substance abuse, bipolar disorder).
* Are receiving another psychological intervention focused on parenting issues.
* Are receiving technical support under a child and youth protection measure that involves the institutionalization of the child/youth.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Coimbra

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Bárbara Caetano

Master

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra

Coimbra, , Portugal

Site Status

Instituto da Segurança Social, I.P.

Lisbon, , Portugal

Site Status

Instituto da Segurança Social - Centro Distrital do Porto

Porto, , Portugal

Site Status

Countries

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Portugal

Central Contacts

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Bárbara Caetano, Master

Role: CONTACT

Phone: +351 239 851 450

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Bárbara Caetano

Role: primary

Bárbara Caetano

Role: primary

Bárbara Caetano

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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UI/BD/154436/2022

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

CEECIND/02463/2017

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

pAdoptMindful2Care/154436/2022

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id