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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02037750

Foster Teens' Risk During Transition

The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized effectiveness trial to determine whether adding a preventive intervention at the transition from elementary to middle school is effective and cost effective in terms of ameliorating outcomes such as drug and tobacco use, participation in HIV- risking sexual behavior, delinquency, mental health problems, and school failure for young adolescents in foster care. The proposed LINKS intervention marries the goals of child welfare and educational systems. The aims are: a) to determine the effectiveness of the LINKS intervention on key behavioral health and school adjustment outcomes, b) to examine mechanisms of action; specifically the mediating effects of placement failure on outcomes, c) to examine the moderating role of fidelity on outcomes, and d) to examine cost effectiveness and cost avoidance of LINKS.

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Key information

Conditions

School Adjustment Foster Care Disruptions

Age range

9 year–13 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

San Diego State University Foundation, San Diego, California, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • the focal youth will be transitioning into middle school
  • the focal youth is in either a foster or kinship care home
  • the focal youth has been in the home for a minimum of 30 days (including those who are newly placed in care and those moving from another type of placement).

Exclusion criteria

  • youth who are are considered medically fragile (i.e., severely physically or mentally handicapped)

Treatment and study plan

LINKS

Behavioral

In the LINKS, foster/kin parents will participate in weekly group meetings led by well-trained and supervised paraprofessional facilitators (school behavioral aids and foster parents) where the curriculum is based on parent management training (PMT). In previous studies, attendance at such groups has been high, averaging about 75-80%. Missed sessions will be "made up" with an in-person visit to the foster/kin home during the week of the original session. In addition, youth in the intervention condition will receive individual skill building sessions from a Life Skills Coach to increase their competency at goal setting, refusal skills, and peer relations.

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Placement Failures

    Time frame: between Baseline and 18-Months later

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Oregon Social Learning Center

Other

Collaborators

  • San Diego State University

Registry information

Official study title

Foster Teens' Risk During Transition: Preventing Drug Use, HIV, & School Problems

Acronym: LINKS

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Jan 16, 2014
Registry last updated
Nov 23, 2018

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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