A Pilot Intervention With Families of Children With Special Health Care Needs

A Theory-Based Intervention to Prevent Child Neglect in High-Risk

This is a pilot randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention focused on improving parenting skills and preventing child neglect in families of children with special health care needs. The intervention focuses on problem solving, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation skills.

This pilot randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 60 caregivers of children with special health care needs who have been reported to the child protection team at Boston Medical Center with concern for neglect that was ultimately not substantiated. Half of the subjects will be randomly assigned to receive the 6-session, one-on-one, in-person, behavioral intervention focused on problem solving, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance. The other half will be randomly assigned to the control group and will receive periodic check-ins and referrals to community resources as needed. Both groups will be followed for 12 months after randomization.

Children who have previously experienced neglect, or other forms of maltreatment, will not included in the study. Children will be defined as having special health care needs if they have a chronic physical, emotional, or behavioral condition.

With this pilot, the investigators aim to field-test study mechanics, including enrollment, randomization, and the collection of baseline and follow-up data; and obtain empiric estimates of study parameters to inform a subsequent fully-powered randomized controlled trial.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Primary caregiver of a child under age 7 with a special health care need, defined as a chronic physical, emotional, or behavioral health condition
• Child has been referred to the Child Protection Team for neglect that was ultimately not substantiated
• Fluent in English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

• Prior history of substantiated child maltreatment