MedPath

Parent Training to Promote Early Identification and Treatment of Childhood Behavioral Disorders

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders
Interventions
Behavioral: Incredible Years Program
Registration Number
NCT00402857
Lead Sponsor
Tufts Medical Center
Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a parent training program in improving parenting skills and reducing behavioral symptoms in young children who are at risk for developing childhood behavior disorders.

Detailed Description

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are common childhood behavior disorders. Children with ADHD experience hyperactivity, distractibility, poor concentration, and impulsivity. If left untreated, ADHD can continue into adulthood, and can cause problems in family, social, and work environments. Children with ODD exhibit an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures. Symptoms of ODD, including frequent temper tantrums, anger, resentment, and vindictiveness, may interfere with a child's everyday functioning. The Incredible Years parent training program has been shown to be effective in multiple settings at training parents to manage their child's behavior. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the Incredible Years training program within a pediatric office setting at improving parenting skills and reducing behavioral symptoms in young children who are at risk for developing childhood behavior disorders.

Participants in this open-label study will be randomly assigned to the Incredible Years training program or a waitlist condition, in which they will begin the program after a 1-year waiting period. Parent training sessions will take place once per week for 10 weeks, and will last approximately 2 hours each. Sessions will focus on teaching positive parenting skills, such as appropriate play and use of praise and rewards, as well as limit-setting techniques, such as ignoring, allowing children to experience the natural consequences of their actions, and assigning time-outs. Self-report assessments and phone interviews will be used to assess outcomes. Additionally, follow-up visits will occur immediately post-intervention and 6 and 12 months post-intervention. Children will attend one visit before the program begins, as well as the follow-ups held immediately post-intervention and 12 months post-intervention. These visits will include videotaped observations of children and their primary caregivers.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
345
Inclusion Criteria

Parent or primary caregiver of a child who fits the following criteria:

  • Receives a positive result on behavioral screening
Exclusion Criteria

Parent or primary caregiver of a child who fits the following criteria:

  • Diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorder or global developmental delay

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
1Incredible Years ProgramParticipants will receive the Incredible Years Program, a group parenting intervention
2Incredible Years ProgramParticipants assigned to the waitlist condition will receive the Incredible Years Program after a 1-year waiting period
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Parenting behaviorMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Child disruptive behaviorsMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Parenting stressMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Family functioningMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Consumer perspectivesMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Child and parent functional status/impairmentMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Cost of servicesMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups
Barriers to treatmentMeasured post-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups

Trial Locations

Locations (9)

MGH Chelsea Healthcare Center

🇺🇸

Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States

Codman Square Health Center

🇺🇸

Dorchester, Massachusetts, United States

Martha Eliot Health Center

🇺🇸

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, United States

Pediatrics West

🇺🇸

Westford, Massachusetts, United States

Southboro Medical Group

🇺🇸

Southboro, Massachusetts, United States

Wilmington Pediatrics

🇺🇸

Wilmington, Massachusetts, United States

Woburn Pediatric Associates

🇺🇸

Woburn, Massachusetts, United States

Westwood-Mansfield Pediatric Associates

🇺🇸

Westwood, Massachusetts, United States

Medical Associates Pediatrics

🇺🇸

Leominster, Massachusetts, United States

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