Yarger, H. A., Hoye, J. R., & Dozier, M. (2016). Trajectories of change in Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up among high-risk mothers: A randomized clinical trial. Infant Mental Health Journal, 37(5), 525–536. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.21585
Yarger, H. A. (2015). Investigating trajectories of change in Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up among high-risk mothers: A randomized clinical trial. Unpublished manuscript.
| Screening decision | Screening conclusion |
|---|---|
| Passes screens | Eligible for review |
| Rating | Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Reassignment | Confounding factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Randomized controlled trial | Low | Established on race; established on SES; established on outcome measures assessable at baseline | None | None |
| Study participants | The study is a randomized controlled trial. The Division of Family Services in Delaware referred mothers who had an unsubstantiated allegation of child neglect to participate in the study. After eligible mothers consented to participate, researchers randomly assigned 13 mothers to the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) condition and 11 to the Developmental Education for Families (DEF) (control) condition.Based on the screening criteria, all mothers had children ages 6 to 20 months old and a household income less than $35,000. Most mothers identified as African American or European American. |
|---|---|
| Setting | Delaware |
| Intervention services | ABC is an intervention designed to teach parents nurturing, sensitive, and nonfrightening ways of interacting with their children. The intervention was implemented across 10 weekly sessions in parents' homes with a parent coach interacting each week with the parent and child. Parents are also assigned homework each week to reinforce the skills taught during the session. |
| Comparison conditions | DEF is another home-based intervention. Like ABC, it is also a manualized treatment conducted over 10 sessions with a parent coach. However, its focus is on improving children's gross and fine motor, cognitive, and language skills. |
| Staff characteristics and training | The characteristics and training of the parent coaches are not described. |
| Funding sources | Not reported. |
| Author affiliation | Not reported. |
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: None found. Study registration was assessed by HomVEE beginning with the 2014 review.
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High | Growth in parental intrusiveness | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Delaware mothers | 16 to 19 weeks | 24 mothers | Unadjusted mean = -1.22 | Unadjusted mean = -0.26 | Mean difference = -0.96 | Study reported = 0.81 | Statistically significant, p = 0.02 | footnote162Negative value is favorable to the intervention. |
| High | Growth in parental sensitivity | FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
Delaware mothers | 16 to 19 weeks | 24 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 0.97 | Unadjusted mean = 0.26 | Mean difference = 0.71 | Study reported = 0.70 | Statistically significant, p = 0.04 |
| Outcome measure | Description of measure | Data collection method | Properties of measure |
|---|---|---|---|
Growth in parental intrusiveness |
The ORCE intrusiveness scale measures the mother's tendency to disregard a child's cues to disengage from an activity or physical contact. | Coded videos of parent-child play | Not reported by authors. |
Growth in parental sensitivity |
The ORCE sensitivity scale measures the mother's ability to respond to the child's interests, needs, and emotions. | Coded videos of parent-child play | Not reported by authors. |
