Strengthening Parenting, Young Children's Social-Behavioral Competence, and Kindergarten Readiness in Schools Serving Low-Income Communities
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Chicago Parent Program (CPP)
- Conditions
- Parenting
- Sponsor
- Johns Hopkins University
- Enrollment
- 840
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Social-behavioral readiness as assessed by the social-behavioral domain of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA).
- Status
- Recruiting
- Last Updated
- last month
Overview
Brief Summary
Purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness and implementation of an evidence-based parenting intervention for improving parenting and school outcomes in a sample of 4-5-year-old children enrolled in public prekindergarten (PreK) programs in Maryland.
Detailed Description
Using a hybrid Type 2 effectiveness-implementation design, this study tests the effectiveness and implementation of an evidence-based parenting intervention for improving parenting and school outcomes in a sample of 4-year-old children enrolled in public prekindergarten (PreK) programs in Maryland. Thirty Title 1 schools across two Maryland school districts (Baltimore City Public Schools n=20; Cecil County Public Schools n=10) will be randomized into experimental (receive the Chicago Parent Program intervention) or control (usual school practice) conditions. The Chicago Parent Program (CPP) is a 12-session group-based parenting intervention designed to strengthen parenting skills and parent engagement in children's learning and improve children's social-emotional and behavioral competence. All schools will participate for 2 years. In the experimental condition, school staff trained in CPP will implement the program in groups of 10-15 parents of PreK students in a virtual group or in-person group format (format order counterbalanced). Parents in the control condition will complete surveys only. Study outcomes for all participants will be evaluated at PreK baseline (T1), 4-5 months post baseline (T2), at the end of PreK (T3), in the fall of kindergarten (T4), and at the end of kindergarten (T5). Outcomes include children's social-emotional-behavioral competence, parent engagement in early childhood education, and parenting skills; school community cohesion; kindergarten readiness, chronic absence, and retained in kindergarten. Additional evaluation data will be collected in the experimental condition assessing perceived effectiveness, implementation quality, uptake, and cost-effectiveness to understand factors that affect the likelihood the program can be successfully integrated and sustained in urban and rural school settings. Demographic background variables will be collected from parents at baseline. Variables include the caregiver role in relation to the PreK child; the race, ethnicity, age, and gender of the parent and PreK child; primary language spoken in the home; and parents' education, employment status, marital status, and annual household income. The investigators will also assess nine family economic hardships experienced over the past 12 months. Demographic background variables will also be collected from PreK teachers at baseline and K teachers in the fall of K and will include gender, age, race, ethnicity, education, and teaching experience at the teacher's current school.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Public school or Community School in Baltimore City, Cecil County, or Harford County serving at least 40% of students meeting eligibility for low-income or located in a community designated as high need by the Maryland State Department of Education based on a score of 0.6 on the Center for Disease Control Social Vulnerability Index:
- •has at least 1 full-day public PreK classroom with 20+ students;
- •school has not offered CPP in the prior 3 years;
- •principal consents to being randomized and participate for 2 years;
- •principal consents to study team recruiting parents, teachers, and staff to participate in the study.
- •PreK Parents:
- •Parent (biological, step, adoptive, foster), grandparent, or legal guardian of 4-5 year old student enrolled in participating PreK program;
- •speaks English or Spanish;
- •consents to allowing access child's school identification.
- •PreK or K teacher in classroom of student of participating parent;
Exclusion Criteria
- •Principal cannot commit staff to offering CPP groups
- •school previously offered CPP in prior 3 years
- •school located in a geographic area with less than 80% connectivity
- •PreK Parents previously participated in CPP
- •Teachers: teacher also a participating parent or CPP group leader
- •School-based personnel: Principal, teacher, or other school-based staff is a study parent
Arms & Interventions
Title 1 schools receive the Chicago Parent Program intervention
The experimental group from Title 1 or Community Schools across two Maryland school districts (Baltimore City Public Schools and Cecil County Public Schools) will receive the Chicago Parent Program intervention.
Intervention: Chicago Parent Program (CPP)
Title 1 schools receive the usual school practice
The control group from Title 1 or Community Schools across two Maryland school districts (Baltimore City Public Schools and Cecil County Public Schools) will receive the usual school practice.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Social-behavioral readiness as assessed by the social-behavioral domain of the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA).
Time Frame: 1-year follow-up
School district's measure of children's social-behavioral readiness to learn at kindergarten entry. Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) assesses 4 domains of readiness. Domain scores range from 202-298. Higher score is a better outcome.
Percentage of children who reported chronic absence
Time Frame: 1 year
Percent of children missing 10% or more school days during the kindergarten year. Data will be collected on number of days the school district records the students as absent from school.
Percentage of children who retained in grade
Time Frame: 1 year
Percentage of children retained in kindergarten for another year. Data will be collected based on report from the school district on whether child was retained.
Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE-30) score (Teacher Version)
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention up to 4 months, post-intervention up to 8 months, 1-year follow-up
change in measures of children's behavior and social-emotional skills from perspective of teachers. Teachers complete the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE-30). Teacher version contains 3 sub scales of 10 items each. Subscale scores range from 10- 60. Higher scores indicate higher levels of social competence.
Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE-30) score (Parent Version)
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention up to 4 months, post-intervention up to 8 months, 1-year follow-up
change in measures of children's behavior and social-emotional skills from perspective of parents. Parent version of the SCBE-30 contains 3 sub scales of 10 items each. Subscale scores range from 10- 60. Higher scores indicate higher levels of social competence.
Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) score
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention up to 4 months, post-intervention up to 8 months, 1-year follow-up
change in child behavior problems on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) ECBI contains two sub scales of 36 items each; Intensity Scale scores can range from 36-252; Problem Scale scores can range from 0-36. Higher scores indicate worse outcomes.
Parent engagement as assessed by the Parent-Teacher Involvement Questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention up to 4 months, post-intervention up to 8 months, 1-year follow-up
change in measures of parent's engagement in their children's early education from the perspective of teachers. Teachers will compete a 7-item measure of parent engagement from the Parent-Teacher Involvement Questionnaire. Scores range from 7-35. Higher scores indicate more parental involvement.
Parent engagement as assessed by the Parent Engagement in Early Childhood Education (PEECE) Survey
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention up to 4 months, post-intervention up to 8 months, 1-year follow-up
change in measure of parent engagement on the Parent Engagement in Early Childhood Education (PEECE) Survey, a 25-item measure of parent engagement. Scores can range from 25-100. Higher scores indicate higher involvement.
Secondary Outcomes
- Total kindergarten readiness score(1 year)
- Parenting skills as assessed by the Parenting Questionnaire(Baseline, post-intervention up to 3 months, 1-year follow-up)
- Social connectedness as assessed by Intervention Group Environment Scale(post-intervention up to 4 months)
- Parent Satisfaction as assessed by the Chicago Parent Program Satisfaction form(Post-intervention up to 4 months)
- CPP Reach as assessed by percent of eligible parents enrolled(At baseline)
- CPP Effectiveness as assessed by End of Program Satisfaction score(Immediately post intervention)
- CPP Perceived effectiveness as assessed by qualitative interview(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))
- CPP Adoption as assessed by qualitative interview(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))
- Percentage of CPP group-leader retention rate(2 years)
- CPP Implementation challenges as assessed by qualitative interview(2 years)
- Social Connectedness in Group Environments Scale (Parent)(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))
- Percentage of parents who completed CPP(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))
- Quality of Parents' Participation in the CPP groups as assessed by the Quality of Participation score(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))
- CPP Implementation Quality as assessed by CPP Fidelity Checklist score(Up to 12 weeks)
- Maintenance of CPP as assessed by implementation costs(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))
- Maintenance of CPP as assessed by qualitative interview(Immediately post-intervention (intervention group))