Internet-based Interacting Together Everyday, Recovery After Childhood TBI (I-InTERACT)--RRTC

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Interventions--Internet-based Interacting Together Everyday, Recovery After Childhood TBI

The purpose of this study is to test two on-line interventions for families of young children who have experienced moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). This project builds upon the investigators' previous research by modifying the online intervention content to address the needs of young children with TBI. The goal of this project is to develop an intervention that will encourage positive parenting behaviors, improve child behaviors, and reduce parent distress and burden following TBI. The investigators hypothesize that the intervention groups will exhibit more effective parenting skills as well as better child functioning and lower levels of parental distress at follow-up than will the active comparison group.

The investigators will conduct a multi-site randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the efficacy of 7-week Internet-based Interacting Together Everyday, Recovery after Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury Express (I-InTERACT Express) and 24-week long web-based positive parenting skills programs Internet-based Interacting Together Everyday, Recovery after Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury (I-InTERACT) to an internet resource group (IRC) involving access to internet resources and education about brain injury. The project builds upon the feasibility and efficacy findings from an ongoing randomized trial comparing the efficacy of a 24-week positive parenting skills program to access to internet resources. However, it differs in size and scope by including multiple sites, and by including an abbreviated parenting skills training arm in response to family feedback that the existing 24-week intervention was excessively long, resulting in adherence difficulties. The investigators anticipate that the improvements in parenting skills and psychological functioning will translate into improved parent-child relationships and reductions in child behavior problems. Over time, such improvements in child and parent functioning should contribute to academic and social success and more successful community integration.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Moderate to severe TBI that occurred within the last 24 months
• Overnight hospital stay
• English-speaking
• Parent must be willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Child does not live with parents or guardian
• Child or parent has history of hospitalization for psychiatric problem
• Child suffered a non-blunt injury (e.g., projectile wound, stroke, drowning, or other form of asphyxiation)
• Diagnosed with moderate or severe mental retardation, autism, or a significant developmental disability