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Impact of a Parenting Program in Liberia to Improve Parenting, Education, and Health Outcomes for Children in Liberia

Primary Purpose

Parenting Behavior, Pre-academic and Developmental Skills, Malaria Prevention

Status
Completed
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Liberia
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Parents Make the Difference
Sponsored by
International Rescue Committee
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional prevention trial for Parenting Behavior focused on measuring Child, Parents, Parenting, Child Development, Parent Child Relations, Malaria, Primary Prevention, Punishment, Education

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesAccepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Parents or primary caregivers (age 18 or above) of children ages 3-7 enrolled in kindergarten
  • Resident in one of five study sites

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe cognitive disability of caregiver affecting ability to provide informed consent

Sites / Locations

  • International Rescue Committee

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Other

Arm Label

"Parents Make the Difference"

Waitlist Control

Arm Description

Caregivers are enrolled in the 10-session Parents Make the Difference intervention.

Caregivers assigned to the control group received the 10-session Parents Make the Difference intervention after the study was completed.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Parenting Behavior Assessment (adapted from multiple scales for this context)
This is a caregiver-report survey measures including items on various parenting practices, including: caregiver-child communication; discipline and behavior management practices; caregiver-child affection and shared activities; caregiver involvement in child's school and educational activities. These items will yield several subscores for these different domains. Some items may also be analyzed as single items, as they measure specific and important outcomes (e.g., use of a harsh discipline strategy)
Parenting Self-Efficacy and Beliefs Assessment (adapted from other scales for this context; includes unique items developed for this context)
These items assess parents' confidence in their parenting abilities and their beliefs about caregiving practices. This measure will yield separate scores for self-efficacy and beliefs about caregiving practices. Some items may also be analyzed as single items, as they measure specific and important outcomes (e.g., parents' belief about an aspect of harsh discipline)
Child Behavior Assessment (items adapted from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire)
This tool assess children's behaviors and emotional well-being in the domains of hyperactivity, anger, aggression, mood, and peer relationships. They will be analyzed as an overall score, and single items may be analyzed for certain behaviors or indicators of emotional well-being.
Parent-Child Interaction Observation
Caregivers and children in the study will be asked to engage in a play interaction for five minutes, and their verbal interactions will be audio-recorded. Recordings will be coded for specific behaviors. The coding system is adapted from the Dyadic Parent Child Interaction Coding System.
Child Cognitive / Pre-Academic Abilities and Emotional Well-being
Children will be administered activity-based items to assess a range of cognitive and learning skills, including verbal and language skills (as measured by several activities), numeracy, and pattern recognition. Items will be combined into composite scores but may also be analyzed separately to measure outcomes on specific abilities (e.g., counting). Children will also be asked five questions related to their emotional well-being adapted from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. These items will be analyzed as a sum score, and individual items may be analyzed for specific indicators of emotional well-being.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Mosquito net usage
A survey will be used to assess mosquito net usage by household members. Items will be analyzed separately to assess discrete behaviors (e.g., whether child him/herself slept under the net; whether any adult(s) slept under the net)

Full Information

First Posted
April 8, 2013
Last Updated
January 22, 2016
Sponsor
International Rescue Committee
Collaborators
Duke University
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT01829815
Brief Title
Impact of a Parenting Program in Liberia to Improve Parenting, Education, and Health Outcomes for Children in Liberia
Official Title
Impact Evaluation of a Parenting Program to Improve Parenting, Education, and Health Outcomes for Young Children in Liberia
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
January 2016
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
August 2012 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
March 2013 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
March 2013 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
International Rescue Committee
Collaborators
Duke University

4. Oversight

Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
The aim of this study is to assess the impact of an intervention to improve parenting practices, pre-academic and developmental skills, and use of mosquito nets for children in kindergarten in Liberia. A rigorous impact evaluation using a randomized, waitlist controlled design will be conducted to measure the impact of the intervention on three primary outcomes: positive parenting skills, children's cognitive and educational skills, and malaria knowledge and prevention behaviors.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Parenting Behavior, Pre-academic and Developmental Skills, Malaria Prevention
Keywords
Child, Parents, Parenting, Child Development, Parent Child Relations, Malaria, Primary Prevention, Punishment, Education

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Prevention
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
270 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
"Parents Make the Difference"
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Caregivers are enrolled in the 10-session Parents Make the Difference intervention.
Arm Title
Waitlist Control
Arm Type
Other
Arm Description
Caregivers assigned to the control group received the 10-session Parents Make the Difference intervention after the study was completed.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Parents Make the Difference
Intervention Description
The intervention, entitled "Parents Make the Difference," will include 10 sessions. Parents will attend in a group, and sessions will include didactic information, guided discussion, and modeling and practice of new skills. All sessions focus on positive parenting skills, with specific skills across three domains that have strong links to child outcomes: (a) positive, non-physical behavior management strategies, (b) strategies for promoting children's early learning, and (c) strategies, primarily use of bed nets, for preventing malaria in children.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Parenting Behavior Assessment (adapted from multiple scales for this context)
Description
This is a caregiver-report survey measures including items on various parenting practices, including: caregiver-child communication; discipline and behavior management practices; caregiver-child affection and shared activities; caregiver involvement in child's school and educational activities. These items will yield several subscores for these different domains. Some items may also be analyzed as single items, as they measure specific and important outcomes (e.g., use of a harsh discipline strategy)
Time Frame
1 month
Title
Parenting Self-Efficacy and Beliefs Assessment (adapted from other scales for this context; includes unique items developed for this context)
Description
These items assess parents' confidence in their parenting abilities and their beliefs about caregiving practices. This measure will yield separate scores for self-efficacy and beliefs about caregiving practices. Some items may also be analyzed as single items, as they measure specific and important outcomes (e.g., parents' belief about an aspect of harsh discipline)
Time Frame
1 month
Title
Child Behavior Assessment (items adapted from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire)
Description
This tool assess children's behaviors and emotional well-being in the domains of hyperactivity, anger, aggression, mood, and peer relationships. They will be analyzed as an overall score, and single items may be analyzed for certain behaviors or indicators of emotional well-being.
Time Frame
1 month
Title
Parent-Child Interaction Observation
Description
Caregivers and children in the study will be asked to engage in a play interaction for five minutes, and their verbal interactions will be audio-recorded. Recordings will be coded for specific behaviors. The coding system is adapted from the Dyadic Parent Child Interaction Coding System.
Time Frame
1 month
Title
Child Cognitive / Pre-Academic Abilities and Emotional Well-being
Description
Children will be administered activity-based items to assess a range of cognitive and learning skills, including verbal and language skills (as measured by several activities), numeracy, and pattern recognition. Items will be combined into composite scores but may also be analyzed separately to measure outcomes on specific abilities (e.g., counting). Children will also be asked five questions related to their emotional well-being adapted from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. These items will be analyzed as a sum score, and individual items may be analyzed for specific indicators of emotional well-being.
Time Frame
1 month
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Mosquito net usage
Description
A survey will be used to assess mosquito net usage by household members. Items will be analyzed separately to assess discrete behaviors (e.g., whether child him/herself slept under the net; whether any adult(s) slept under the net)
Time Frame
1 month

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Parents or primary caregivers (age 18 or above) of children ages 3-7 enrolled in kindergarten Resident in one of five study sites Exclusion Criteria: Severe cognitive disability of caregiver affecting ability to provide informed consent
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Eve Puffer, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Duke University
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Rhea Chase, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Duke University
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
International Rescue Committee
City
Voinjama
State/Province
Lofa County
Country
Liberia

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
Undecided
IPD Sharing Plan Description
File needs to be anonymized
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
27858282
Citation
Annan J, Sim A, Puffer ES, Salhi C, Betancourt TS. Improving Mental Health Outcomes of Burmese Migrant and Displaced Children in Thailand: a Community-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of a Parenting and Family Skills Intervention. Prev Sci. 2017 Oct;18(7):793-803. doi: 10.1007/s11121-016-0728-2.
Results Reference
derived
PubMed Identifier
28596863
Citation
Puffer ES, Green EP, Chase RM, Sim AL, Zayzay J, Friis E, Garcia-Rolland E, Boone L. Parents make the difference: a randomized-controlled trial of a parenting intervention in Liberia. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2015 Aug 4;2:e15. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2015.12. eCollection 2015.
Results Reference
derived

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Impact of a Parenting Program in Liberia to Improve Parenting, Education, and Health Outcomes for Children in Liberia

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