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Parenting Training for Children With FASD (SF-FASD)

Primary Purpose

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Status
Completed
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Canada
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Strongest Families FASD intervention
Psychoeducation
Sponsored by
IWK Health Centre
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder focused on measuring FASD, pFAS, ARND, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Static Encephalopathy (Alcohol Exposed), Neurobehavioural Disorder (Alcohol Exposed)

Eligibility Criteria

4 Years - 12 Years (Child)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Have a child between 4-12 years of age with a diagnosis which falls under the umbrella term "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder" as reported by parents/caregivers.
  • The child has been experiencing behavioural problems (as defined by the caregiver) for at least 6 months prior to study screening.
  • Have been the primary caregiver for a minimum of 6 months prior to entry into the study.
  • Have a reasonable expectation of being be the primary caregiver for at least 6 months after study enrolment.
  • Read, write, and understand English.
  • Have access to a telephone.
  • Have access to a computer connected to the Internet.
  • Live in Canada.
  • CBCL Externalizing t-Score must be ≥64 (clinical range)
  • The child meets criteria for behaviour suggestive of FASD
  • No suicide attempts within the previous 6 months
  • No current risk of suicide attempts

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Child is NOT able to speak in full sentences or understand everyday language and instructions.
  • Parent/caregiver has previously taken part in a Strongest Families Parenting Program.
  • Parent/caregiver OR child has been diagnosed with Psychosis.
  • Child does not have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression.
  • Child does not put others as risk of serious harm (i.e., requiring medical attention).
  • Parent/caregiver has not completed any of the following parenting programs in the last 6 months: Triple P, COPE, Incredible Years.

Sites / Locations

  • IWK Health Centre

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Active Comparator

Arm Label

The Strongest Families FASD intervention

Psychoeducation

Arm Description

It is a web-based parent training program with a coach. The program is comprised of 11 sessions, each focusing on a different parenting strategy, delivered using easy to read text, instructional videos and audio clips. One Booster Session is conducted 1 month after completion of Session 11.

It is a static webpage on IRIS providing FASD information and resources, including recommended book titles, websites and organizations that may be helpful.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

A change on the Child Behavior Checklist from baseline to 11 months
It is a standardized questionnaire that assesses adaptive functioning and problems. We will use two versions of the CBCL (CBCL/1 ½ -5 and CBCL/6-18) to accommodate the age range of the sample

Secondary Outcome Measures

A change on the Depression Anxiety & Stress Scale Short Form (DASS-21) from baseline to 11 months
It will be used to evaluate parental distress
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8)

Full Information

First Posted
July 30, 2014
Last Updated
August 14, 2018
Sponsor
IWK Health Centre
Collaborators
NeuroDevNet, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Queen's University, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT02210455
Brief Title
Parenting Training for Children With FASD
Acronym
SF-FASD
Official Title
Strongest Families FASD: Parent Training for Challenging Behaviour in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
August 2018
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
July 2014 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
July 2016 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
June 2017 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
IWK Health Centre
Collaborators
NeuroDevNet, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Queen's University, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

4. Oversight

Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to a myriad of adverse developmental outcomes in children, and is the leading cause of mental disability in Canada. The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) was established to encompass the full spectrum of teratogenic effects induced by alcohol. FAS is believed to occur in approximately 1 to 3 per 1000 live births in North America, and it is estimated that FASD may occur as frequently as 1 in 100 live births, making this a public health problem of epidemic proportion. Even though considerable efforts have been aimed at identifying children with FASD, the need for access to services and supports for Canadian families affected by FASD remains unfulfilled. Additionally, there is little empirical data available to influence policy change in how these services and supports are delivered. A key recommendation contained in the Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): A Framework for Action document was the need to determine the types of supports children with FASD and their families require and to develop appropriate mechanisms to provide these services at the community, provincial/territorial and federal levels. This identified need forms the basis of the current proposal. Although a variety of psychosocial interventions have been developed to treat neurobehavioural disorders, relatively little research has been conducted that is specifically aimed at improving the behavioral challenges identified in children with FASD. Thus, we hypothesize that (i) a FASD-specific parent/guardian training intervention can be developed using input from major stakeholders to meet the current limitations in access for families seeking services and supports; and (ii) this intervention and its evaluation will provide evidence for feasibility and efficacy to support changes in policy by key decision-makers and provide the basis for developing promising practices in the area of interventions for families affected by FASD. This grant will link academic teams with parents/guardians and decision makers to develop and evaluate a training program for the parents/guardians of children with FASD. Participants will be recruited from across Canada. The specific objectives of the proposed research program, which will be addressed in three inter-related studies, are to: Develop an Internet-based intervention program for parents/guardians of children with FASD between the ages of 4-12 years, that is based on information collected from interviews completed by major stakeholders (e.g., parents/guardians, clinicians, decision-makers, community-based organizations); Evaluate the feasibility (usability) of the intervention; and Obtain data on outcomes from the randomized controlled trial This research will adopt an integrated knowledge translation and exchange approach where knowledge production, dissemination, uptake and usage will occur seamlessly throughout the project and researchers and knowledge users are engaged in the project right from its inception. The intervention will be based on the Strongest Families program that is designed to help families learn to deal with common childhood problems in the comfort and privacy of their home, and provide treatment and care via telephone contact with trained coaches, written manuals, videotapes, and audiotapes. This program has been successful in children neurodevelopmental disorders; and will be adapted for use in the FASD population, as children with FASD, share many of the same behavioral characteristics.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Keywords
FASD, pFAS, ARND, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, Static Encephalopathy (Alcohol Exposed), Neurobehavioural Disorder (Alcohol Exposed)

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
Outcomes Assessor
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
119 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
The Strongest Families FASD intervention
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
It is a web-based parent training program with a coach. The program is comprised of 11 sessions, each focusing on a different parenting strategy, delivered using easy to read text, instructional videos and audio clips. One Booster Session is conducted 1 month after completion of Session 11.
Arm Title
Psychoeducation
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
It is a static webpage on IRIS providing FASD information and resources, including recommended book titles, websites and organizations that may be helpful.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Strongest Families FASD intervention
Intervention Type
Other
Intervention Name(s)
Psychoeducation
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
A change on the Child Behavior Checklist from baseline to 11 months
Description
It is a standardized questionnaire that assesses adaptive functioning and problems. We will use two versions of the CBCL (CBCL/1 ½ -5 and CBCL/6-18) to accommodate the age range of the sample
Time Frame
At baseline, and 5 months and 11 months after randomization
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
A change on the Depression Anxiety & Stress Scale Short Form (DASS-21) from baseline to 11 months
Description
It will be used to evaluate parental distress
Time Frame
At baseline, and 5 months and 11 months after randomization
Title
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8)
Time Frame
Participants will be asked to complete this measure at the end of the intervention, which will probably last on average 5 months

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
4 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
12 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Have a child between 4-12 years of age with a diagnosis which falls under the umbrella term "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder" as reported by parents/caregivers. The child has been experiencing behavioural problems (as defined by the caregiver) for at least 6 months prior to study screening. Have been the primary caregiver for a minimum of 6 months prior to entry into the study. Have a reasonable expectation of being be the primary caregiver for at least 6 months after study enrolment. Read, write, and understand English. Have access to a telephone. Have access to a computer connected to the Internet. Live in Canada. CBCL Externalizing t-Score must be ≥64 (clinical range) The child meets criteria for behaviour suggestive of FASD No suicide attempts within the previous 6 months No current risk of suicide attempts Exclusion Criteria: Child is NOT able to speak in full sentences or understand everyday language and instructions. Parent/caregiver has previously taken part in a Strongest Families Parenting Program. Parent/caregiver OR child has been diagnosed with Psychosis. Child does not have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression. Child does not put others as risk of serious harm (i.e., requiring medical attention). Parent/caregiver has not completed any of the following parenting programs in the last 6 months: Triple P, COPE, Incredible Years.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Patrick McGrath, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
IWK Health Centre
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
IWK Health Centre
City
Halifax
State/Province
Nova Scotia
ZIP/Postal Code
B3K 6R8
Country
Canada

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No
IPD Sharing Plan Description
Only aggregate data will be shared.
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
26462968
Citation
Turner K, Reynolds JN, McGrath P, Lingley-Pottie P, Huguet A, Hewitt A, Green C, Wozney L, Mushquash C, Muhajarine N, Sourander A, Caughey H, Roane J. Guided Internet-Based Parent Training for Challenging Behavior in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (Strongest Families FASD): Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2015 Oct 13;4(4):e112. doi: 10.2196/resprot.4723.
Results Reference
derived
Links:
URL
https://mystudies.ca/studies/fasd
Description
Recruitment site

Learn more about this trial

Parenting Training for Children With FASD

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