A Digital Health Technology to Prevent Family Violence and Improve Child Mental Health
University of Oregon
Summary
The Family Check-Up Online, a digital health intervention, was designed to improve child mental health through family-centered intervention. The Family Check-Up is grounded in over 25 years of evidence-based research and has been shown to improve child mental health and behavior including depression and conduct problems. The investigators were supported by an SBIR Phase I award (R43MH132191) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the digital health product in schools and to adapt the product based on findings of that work. Findings from that project suggested the model is a good fit for schools, with school providers stating a need for family-centered interventions that target child behavior and mental health, but with few resources or evidence-based programs available. The research team received feedback that suggests the model should be evaluated as both an uncoached version and coached version, delivered with provider support. In the current project, the investigators plan to continue work in schools to develop the model for commercialization, including understanding the process for embedding the FCU Online into current student support systems and implementation factors that lead to maintenance of the model in schools. The investigators plan to conduct a hybrid type 2 effectiveness-implementation trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the FCU Online when delivered by real world providers. Thirty providers (N=600 students/families) will be randomly assigned to receive training in the FCU Online coached vs. uncoached models. The research team will then evaluate outcomes including family relationships, parenting skills, and child mental health and behavior. The investigators predict that the FCU Online will improve child mental health and behavior, and will test for moderators such as provider training and child baseline risk. Findings will have implications for commercialization of the product in schools and implementation of the model in a range of different school settings.
Description
In this study the investigators propose the following specific aims: 1. Examine the feasibility and acceptability of embedding the FCU Online model into multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). The investigative team (comprised of researchers and school partners) will (1a) identify strategies to reach students at risk for poor mental health outcomes using natural indicators within the school environment. Then, the team will (1b) identify feasible and acceptable implementation strategies for delivery of the basic (i.e., no coaching) and supported (i.e., with coaching) FCU Online models as routi…
Eligibility
- Age range
- Not specified
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * A caregiver must have a child between the ages of 11 and 14 enrolled at a participating school; * the caregiver must be the parent or legal guardian of the youth; * the caregiver must have a smartphone with text messaging capability and access to email; and * the youth must be identified by school providers as needing or being eligible for Tier 2 or Tier 3 supports or services. Exclusion Criteria: * the caregiver is unable to read in either English or Spanish; or * the family is already participating in another study of the University of Oregon's Prevention Science Ins…
Interventions
- BehavioralFamily Check-Up Online
The Family Check-Up Online is a digital intervention that includes an assessment, computer-generated feedback, and intervention modules that focus on improving family relationships and parenting skills in order to reduce child mental health problems and to improve child self-regulation. These modules include Healthy Behaviors for Stressful Times, Positive Parenting, Rules and Consequences, Supporting School Success, and Communication.
- BehavioralFCU Online with Telehealth Coaching
This intervention is the Family Check-Up Online plus telehealth support from a parenting coach. The Family Check-Up Online is a digital intervention that includes an assessment, computer-generated feedback, and intervention modules that focus on improving family relationships and parenting skills in order to reduce child mental health problems and to improve child self-regulation. These modules include Healthy Behaviors for Stressful Times, Positive Parenting, Rules and Consequences, Supporting School Success, and Communication. A coach based at the child's school meets with caregivers via telehealth modality to provide motivation and to help caregivers tailor the content of the modules to their specific child and family's needs.
Location
- Prevention Science InstituteEugene, Oregon