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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02412748

The Dedicated African American Dad Study

The number of children living apart from their fathers has grown nationally, and the greatest percentage is evident among African American (AA) families; two-thirds of all African American children live in households without their biological father. Research supports the importance of positive fathering in the lives of children. But in order for children to benefit from their fathers' involvement, the father-child relationship must be timely and sustained. This study will test culturally relevant interventions aimed at increasing non-resident (not living with the child) AA fathers' involvement with their children.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Rush University Medical Center

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

About this study

The purpose of this competing continuation study is to test the efficacy of the core 9-session BBTF program (held over12-weeks) on: (1) improving father outcomes (psychological well-being, relationship quality with the child's mother, parenting competence); (2) father-mother relationship quality; (3) father involvement (material support, in-kind support, direct father-child interaction); and (4) child outcomes (behavioral, social, emotional). The study will use an experimental design and randomly assign 180 AA fathers who are not currently involved with the criminal justice system and their 2-5 year old children to the BBTF or an attention control condition and assess outcomes at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Custodial mothers of the children will be recruited to concurrently complete child outcome measures, measures of father-mother relationship quality, and father involvement measures.

The specific aims and hypotheses are as follows:

Aim 1: Test the direct effects of the 9-session BBTF program on: (1) father's outcomes (psychological well-being, parenting competence, and communication and problem solving) and (2) paternal involvement (material support, in-kind support, and direct father-child interaction), controlling for father characteristics (demographics, history of criminal justice system involvement, social support) and child characteristics (age, gender). Hypothesis 1: BBTF program fathers will report better father outcomes and greater paternal involvement than the attention control group at 12 weeks and 24 weeks.

Aim 2: Test the mediating effects of father-mother relationship and father outcomes on paternal involvement across the two conditions. Hypothesis 2: Father-mother relationship quality and father outcomes will mediate intervention effects on paternal involvement.

Aim 3: Compare the effects of the BBTF program, controlling for father outcomes, father-mother relationship, and paternal involvement on child outcomes (behavioral, emotional/social development) as compared to the attention control group. Hypothesis 3a: BBTF children will have improved child outcomes relative to the control group at 12 weeks and 24 weeks. Hypothesis 3b: Child outcomes will be mediated by improvements in father outcomes, paternal involvement and father-mother relationship.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • AA biological father of a child 2 to 5 years old
  • Child lives with father no more than 48 hours per week (e.g., spends the weekends with his or her father)
  • The child lives with the biological mother (or other custodial relative such as grandmother) in the metropolitan Chicago area.
  • These fathers are referred to as AA non-resident fathers. Additional criteria include: (1) child's mother is willing to consent to complete the child assessments; - Child's mother is amenable to facilitating opportunities for fathers to interact with their children in order to practice skills learned in the program
  • Father is able and willing to travel to one of two intervention sites to attend a weekly program.
  • The study is limited to fathers with a target child aged 2-5 years.
  • The rationale for this limit is based on the developmental phase when families are most vulnerable to decreased father involvement and children are highly dependent on parenting for their growth and development.

Exclusion criteria

  • Fathers with histories of child abuse, neglect, or violence perpetuated against the child or the child's mother (based on mother or father report).

Treatment and study plan

BBTF Intervention

Behavioral

The Building Bridges to Fatherhood (BBTF) intervention consists of 9 group sessions and 1 booster session as described in the arm/group descriptions.

Financial Literacy Program

Behavioral

The Financial Literacy Program (FLP) attention control condition consists of 9 group sessions and 1 booster session as described in the arm/group descriptions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Father Involvement as Measured by the Fragile Families Survey - Father Report

    Time frame: Mean/Standard Error (SE) at Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Fragile Families Survey (FFS) Measures the frequency with which fathers provide material and in-kind support and directly interact with their child The minimum score is 13, and the maximum score is 52. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  2. Father Involvement as Measured by the Julion Index of Paternal Involvement - Father Report

    Time frame: Change from baseline to 12 and 24 weeks

    The Julion Index of Paternal Involvement (JIPI) measured the frequency with which fathers provide material and in-kind support and engage in direct father-child interaction.

    The minimum value is 19 and the maximum value is 76. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Taylor Inventory of Self-Esteem (Positive)

    Time frame: Mean/SE at Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The 16-item Taylor Inventory of Self-esteem is a measure of self-esteem and rewards and costs to self. The minimum value on the 8-item positive subscale is zero, and the maximum value is 64. Higher scores are better outcomes.

  2. Taylor Inventory of Self-Esteem (Negative)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The 16-item Taylor Inventory of Self-esteem is a measure of self-esteem and rewards and costs to self. The minimum value on the 8-item negative subscale is zero, and the maximum value is 64. Higher scores are worse outcomes.

  3. Perceived Stress Scale (Negative)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Perceived Stress Scale examines the degree to which situations are experienced as stressful. The 6-item negative subscale has a range of scores from zero to 24. Higher scores are worse outcomes.

  4. Perceived Stress Scale (Positive)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Perceived Stress Scale examines the degree to which situations are experienced as stressful. The 4-item positive subscale has a range of scores from zero to 16. Higher scores are better outcomes.

  5. Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) measures depressive symptoms experienced in the past week.

    The minimum value is zero and the maximum value is sixty. Four items were reverse coded and higher scores indicated worse outcomes.

  6. Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (Satisfaction)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Parent Sense of Competency Scale measures satisfaction and self-efficacy in their parenting role. The 9-item satisfaction subscale has a range of scores from nine to fifty-four. Higher scores are better parenting self-esteem.

  7. Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (Self-Efficacy)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Parent Sense of Competency Scale measures satisfaction and self-efficacy in their parenting role. The 7-item self-efficacy subscale has a range of scores from seven to 42. Higher scores are better parenting self-esteem.

  8. Parent Behavior Checklist (Discipline)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Parent Behavior Checklist is a measure of parenting skills and knowledge. The 10-item discipline subscale has a range of values from 1 to 4. This scale was log transformed, making the range 0 to 1.4. Higher scores mean worse outcomes.

  9. Parent Behavior Checklist (Nurturing)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Parent Behavior Checklist is a measure of parenting skills and knowledge. The 10-item nurturing subscale has a range of values from 1 to 4. Higher scores mean worse outcomes.

  10. Parent Behavior Checklist (Expectations)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Parent Behavior Checklist is a measure of parenting skills and knowledge. The 12-item expectations subscale has a range of values from 1 to 4. Higher scores mean worse outcomes.

  11. Quality of Relationship Inventory (Support)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    Measure of support, conflict, and depth of father-mother relationship. The Quality of Relationship Inventory (QRI) a self-assessment questionnaire used to determine the quality of a couple's relationship and their satisfaction with the relationship. The minimum score on the support subscale is 1 and the maximum score is 4. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  12. Quality of Relationship Inventory (Conflict)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    Measure of support, conflict, and depth of father-mother relationship. The Quality of Relationship Inventory (QRI) a self-assessment questionnaire used to determine the quality of a couple's relationship and their satisfaction with the relationship. The minimum score on the conflict subscale is 1and the maximum score is 4. Higher scores mean a worse outcome..

  13. Quality of Relationship Inventory (Depth)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    Measure of support, conflict, and depth of father-mother relationship. The Quality of Relationship Inventory (QRI) a self-assessment questionnaire used to determine the quality of a couple's relationship and their satisfaction with the relationship. The minimum score on the depth subscale is 1 and the maximum score is 4. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  14. Behavior Assessment System for Children 3rd Ed (Aggression)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) is a measure of adaptive and problem behaviors in community and home settings. The aggression subscale measures the tendency to act in a hostile manner (either verbal or physical) that is threatening to others. The raw scores are converted to T-Scores with a population mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. Scores 70 and above are considered clinically significant level.

  15. Behavior Assessment System for Children 3rd Ed (Attention)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) is a measure of adaptive and problem behaviors in community and home settings. The attention subscale measures he tendency to be easily distracted and unable to concentrate more than momentarily. The raw scores are converted to T-Scores with a population mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. Scores 70 and above are considered clinically significant level.

  16. Behavior Assessment System for Children 3rd Ed (Depression)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) is a measure of adaptive and problem behaviors in community and home settings. The depression subscale measures feelings of unhappiness, sadness, and stress that may result in an inability to carry out everyday activities or may bring on thoughts of suicide. The raw scores are converted to T-Scores with a population mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. Scores 70 and above are considered clinically significant level.

  17. Behavior Assessment System for Children 3rd Ed (Hyperactivity)

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) is a measure of adaptive and problem behaviors in community and home settings. The hyperactivity subscale measures the tendency to be overly active, rush through work or activities, and act without thinking. The raw scores are converted to T-Scores with a population mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. Higher scores mean a worse outcome. Scores 70 and above are considered clinically significant level.

  18. Tolerance For Disagreement

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The degree of tolerance of interpersonal disagreement. The minimum score is 15 and the maximum score is 75. Higher scores mean a better outcome.

  19. Personal Problem Solving Inventory - Efficacy

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Perceived Problem Solving Inventory subscale measures perceived efficacy in one's own ability to solve problems. The minimum score is 1 and the maximum score is 6 for each of the 7 items. The total range of scores for this subscale is from 1 to 6. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.

  20. Personal Problem Solving Inventory - Skills

    Time frame: Baseline, 12, and 24 weeks

    The Personal Problem Solving Inventory measures perceived skills in one's own ability to solve problems. The minimum score is 1 and the maximum score is 6 for each of the 9 items on this subscale. Total range of scores for the scale are 1 to 6. Higher scores mean a worse outcome.

Other outcomes

  1. Building Bridges To Fatherhood (BBTF) Social Context Validity

    Time frame: 9 weeks post baseline

    An investigator developed Weekly Satisfaction and Program Satisfaction Survey was used to measure the levels of consumer satisfaction and active participation in the intervention. The 5-item weekly satisfaction survey minimum score is 0 and highest score is 15. The 16-item Program Satisfaction survey minimum score is 0 and the highest score is 48. Higher scores reflect greater satisfaction.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Rush University Medical Center

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

Registry information

Official study title

African American Non-Resident Fatherhood Program: Effects on Child/Family Outcomes

Acronym: DAAD

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Apr 9, 2015
Registry last updated
Apr 20, 2023

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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