A Computer-based Intervention to Augment Home Visitation Services: The E-Parenting Project

The present study aims to determine whether a computer-based intervention can provide augmentation of home visiting services to decrease the risk of child maltreatment. The computer-based software includes modules on motivation, Cognitive Retraining, and elements of the ecobehavioral SafeCare approach. A total of 420 mother-infant dyads from four Healthy Families America (HFA) sites will be randomly assigned to either treatment as usual, software-supplemented home visitation, or community control conditions. For families in the software-supplemented condition, home visitors will present the software to parents via a Tablet PC during regular home visits. All parents will be followed-up at 6, 12, and 18 months by independent and blinded research assistants. Parents are evaluated for maltreatment and maltreatment risks as measured by self-report, home visitor report, blinded independent observers, and statewide CPS data. If validated, the proposed intervention can provide augmentation of home visiting services with unprecedented ease of dissemination, at negligible additional cost, and with limitless potential for further development.

Inclusion criteria

Pregnant or post-partum mothers who are eligible (i.e., score 25 or greater on the Kempe Family Stress Checklist and are not involved in CPS open case investigation at the time of HFA participation) and willing to participate in the HFA program are eligible to participate in the current study, with the following restrictions:

• Mothers must be 18 years or older and able to complete the baseline assessment within 4 weeks of delivery.
• Mothers have not completed any prior post-partum treatment plan.
• Participants must have functional cognitive abilities.
• Premature infants have to be released from hospital care within 6 weeks of birth.
• Participants must be able to communicate in English.