Parent Intervention for Drug-Abusing Fathers

Yale University, New Haven CT

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Although there has been extensive discussion of parent intervention for drug-abusing mothers, there has been little consideration of complementary intervention to address the parenting problems of drug-abusing men. Extending work done with drug-abusing mothers, the principal investigator for the proposed project conceptualized a gender-specific parent intervention for drug-abusing men designed to improve father-child relationships. During a preliminary study, the research team (a) developed a treatment manual, (b) defined procedures for the selection and training of clinicians, (c) developed an adherence-competence rating scale, and (d) completed a randomized pilot study designed to evaluate the potential efficacy of this parent intervention when added to treatment-as-usual. When delivered to 34 fathers enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment, Fathers Too! produced potentially meaningful improvement in both parenting behavior and substance use. However, (a) broad inclusion criteria, (b) poor attendance, (c) the absence of an active control condition, (d) a brief period of follow-up, and (e) the absence of collateral information limited interpretation of treatment effects. Consequently, this randomized clinical trial is being proposed to support comparison of Fathers Too! with individual drug counseling when both combined with low-cost contingency management of attendance to maximize exposure to study treatments. This clinical trial will be conducted with 80 fathers enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment who confirm ongoing substance use and interest in improving their relationship with a biological child 8 to 16 years of age. A 16-week period of active treatment will be followed by a 16-week period of follow-up. Data collected from fathers and children will be used to document the immediate and delayed effects of Fathers Too! on (a) frequency of positive and negative parenting behavior, (b) frequency of substance use, and (c) psychological representation of the father-child relationship in children. Parenting behavior will be examined from the perspective of both fathers and children. When completed, the study will provide materials, procedures, and data needed to support large-scale efficacy testing of this promising clinical intervention, and the project will support public policy initiatives designed to promote socially responsible fathering within disenfranchised populations of men.