ParentingNPFFNCT03413709
Fathers' Support Center New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF) Impact Evaluation Plan
A study testing Family Formation Program in people with Parenting, run by Fathers' Support Center, St. Louis at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The Fathers' Support Center, in partnership with the Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis, seeks to evaluate the impact of their New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 years and older, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Parenting
- What is being tested?
- Family Formation Program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 700 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2016to 30 Sep 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 years and older
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- being a father (biological or step) with at least one child 16 years old or younger
Who cannot join
- no presence of a restraining order from mother or child
- is not currently incarcerated
- is not homeless
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Fathers Support Center, St. Louis INC.
St Louis, Missouri, 63115-2534
Cheri D Tillis, MS, 314-333-4170 ext. 107, ctillis@fatherssupport.org
Destini N Goodwin, 314-333-4170 ext. 108, dgoodwin@fatherssupport.org
About this study
Official title: New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program
The Fathers' Support Center, in partnership with the Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis, seeks to evaluate the impact of their New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF). The investigators are most interested in quantifying the added benefit of parenting, father-child engagement, and father well-being curriculum compared to course content containing 80 hour economic stability material only. The impact evaluation will answer four key outcome and implementation specific questions using a mixed methods approach. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups (full program or 80 hour economic stability curriculum only) and tracked for the duration of the program. The impact evaluation tools include a set of validated instruments and will be administered to participants at baseline and again at three and twelve months after completion of the program. Performance measurement data will also be included in our analysis. Investigators hypothesize that participation in the full program will have a greater effect on key outcomes than the economic stability curriculum, a similar number of families will be reached by each condition, and that there will be minimal variability in retention rates across groups.
Read the detailed description
Research Questions
The Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis will conduct the local impact evaluation. The local evaluation seeks to answer four primary questions pertaining to the implementation and outcomes of the Family Formation Program (FFP) (an integrated approach of responsible parenting, economic stability and mobility, and healthy relationships):
Outcome Q1: Does the participation of fathers in the comprehensive Family Formation Program have greater effect on family functioning, father and child outcomes, and father economic stability and mobility compared to fathers receiving the 80 hour economic stability services only (i.e., job readiness and employment skills)?
Implementation Q2: How many families were reached by each of the conditions and was there variability in retention rates of fathers across conditions?
Implementation Q3: Did fathers in the treatment and comparison conditions find the intervention to be acceptable and appropriate?
Implementation Q4: What barriers and benefits exist to successful implementation of father focused family support programs?
Background Fatherhood programs originally had a narrow focus on financial stability and support, but have recently evolved to also emphasize healthy relationships, parenting skills, and father involvement. Despite significant state and federal funding for fatherhood programs, few have undergone rigorous evaluation to examine their effectiveness. This evaluation will determine the added benefit of content on parenting, father-child engagement, and father well-being over and above content on economic stability and mobility, in relation to family functioning, child well-being, and economic stability. This will also further build the evidence supporting one particular comprehensive intervention, FFP, as a means to improve outcomes for children and families through intervening with fathers.
Relation to program logic model The primary research question of this impact evaluation will examine the effect of the FFP on short- and long-term outcomes as described in the FFP logic model
Short-term outcomes assessed by the impact evaluation will include:
- improved parenting and co-parenting skills;
- increased father-child engagement;
- increased financial responsibility of fathers; and
- progress towards greater economic stability.
The impact evaluation will also examine the FFP long-term outcomes of improved family functioning (through changes in father and child well-being; co-parenting relationship quality, and the father-child relationship) and increased economic stability and mobility.
Hypothesis:
Investigators believe that the FFP will have a greater effect on family functioning, father and child outcomes, and father economic stability compared to fathers in the comparison group because members of the treatment group will be receiving a more comprehensive range of services. Investigators anticipate that fathers will equally participate in both programs because both will provide meaningful information and opportunities to build their skill sets.
- Conditions
- Parenting
- Being tested
- Family Formation Program
- Keywords
- Parenting Time, Father Involvement
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Family Formation ProgramOther
Also called Economic Stability, Health Relationships, Responsible Parenting
The sample for the treatment group for the impact evaluation will only include fathers who are receiving the full 240 hour FFP program (and not the abbreviated 80 hour program). The treatment group will receive FSC's Family Formation Program, which is a six week, 240 hour program implementing a set of curricula focusing on responsible parenting, healthy relationships, and economic stability and mobility.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group (n=350) | Active comparator | The sample for the treatment group for the impact evaluation will only include fathers who are receiving the full 240 hour Family Formation Program (and not the abbreviated 80 hour program). The treatment group will receive FSC's Family Formation Program, which is a six week, 240 hour program implementing a set of curricula focusing on responsible parenting, healthy relationships,and economic stability and mobility. In addition, participants will receive case management and a variety of employment, legal and support services for up to one year following the completion of the curriculum. Receives: Other: Family Formation Program |
| Comparison Group (n=350) | No intervention | The sample comparison group will receive only the abbreviated 80 hour program. Which consist of economic stability and mobility only. These participants will receive employment case management and legal services for up to one year following the completion of the curriculum. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Father Engagement-Father Research & Practice Network (FRPN) Father Engagement Scale
Brief instrument designed to assess fathers' engagement with children at different ages. Separate scales for fathers of children ages 0-1 years, 1-5 years, 6-12 years, and adolescents. Scales found to have good reliability and validity
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Father Child Contact-nForm Survey
Pre- and post-program nForm survey items related to father-child contact will be used to evaluate this construct.
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Child Behavior and Emotion-Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
Standardized instrument based on national norms that assesses child behavioral and emotional problems. Study will use anxious/depressed and aggressive behavior sub-scales.
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Parental Health-SF12v2 Health Survey
12-item nationally-normed health survey that measures functional health and well-being from the patient's point of view.
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Parental Substance Abuse-Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT)
10-item screening tool developed by World Health Organization to assess alcohol use, alcohol dependence, and alcohol-related problems. Its reliability and validity have been established in research conducted in a variety of settings
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Parental Consequences related to Drug Abuse-Drug Abuse Screening Test 10 (DAST-10)
Brief instrument that yields a quantitative index of the degree of consequences related to drug abuse. Literature has shown moderate to high reliability and validity
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Parental Discipline Strategies/Behavior-Conflict Tactics Scale-Parent Child (CTSPC)
Well-established instrument used to assess physical and psychological maltreatment. Study will use minor assault and non-violent discipline sub-scale items only
Measured: 1 year from program completion
Co-parenting Relationships-FRPN: Coparenting Relationship Scale
11-item measure designed to assess fathers' coparenting relationships with the mother of their children. The measure was validated with a sample of fathers very similar to those served in U.S. responsible fatherhood programs
Measured: 1 year after completion
Child/Financial Support Behavior-FSC Intake Survey
Items from FSC intake survey related to child and financial support will be used to assess this construct.
Measured: 1 year after program completion
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jan 2018
- Study start1 Jul 2016
- Primary completion30 Sep 2018 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Sep 2020 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for ParentingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 700 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Fathers' Support Center, St. Louis
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Cheri Tillis, Fathers' Support Center, St. Louis
- Investigators
- Jonathan Green, Study chair, Washington University, Human Research Protection Office
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03413709
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 201605068
- Acronym
- NPFF
- Status last verified
- Jan 2018
- First submitted
- 28 Sep 2016
- Last updated
- 29 Jan 2018
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Kohl PL, Krauss MJ, King C, Cheng SY, Fowler P, Goodwin DN, Tillis CD, Sullivan H, Sorg A, Mueller NB. The impact of responsible fatherhood programs on parenting, psychological well-being, and financial outcomes: A randomized controlled trial. Fam Process. 2022 Sep;61(3):1097-1115. doi: 10.1111/famp.12752. Epub 2022 Jan 5.
PubMed 34988991
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 29 Jan 2018. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03413709
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NPFF / 201605068
- Conditions
- Parenting
- Keywords
- Parenting Time, Father Involvement
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 700 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Fathers' Support Center, St. LouisUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Washington University School of Medicine
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2016 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Sep 2018 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2020 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Jan 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The Fathers' Support Center, in partnership with the Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis, seeks to evaluate the impact of their New Pathways to Responsible Fatherhood Family Formation Program (NPFF). The investigators are most interested in quantifying the added benefit of parenting, father-child engagement, and father well-being curriculum compared to course content containing 80 hour economic stability material only. The impact evaluation will answer four key outcome and implementation specific questions using a mixed methods approach. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups (full program or 80 hour economic stability curriculum only) and tracked for the duration of the program. The impact evaluation tools include a set of validated instruments and will be administered to participants at baseline and again at three and twelve months after completion of the program. Performance measurement data will also be included in our analysis. Investigators hypothesize that participation in the full program will have a greater effect on key outcomes than the economic stability curriculum, a similar number of families will be reached by each condition, and that there will be minimal variability in retention rates across groups.
Detailed description
Research Questions
The Brown School Evaluation Center at Washington University in St. Louis will conduct the local impact evaluation. The local evaluation seeks to answer four primary questions pertaining to the implementation and outcomes of the Family Formation Program (FFP) (an integrated approach of responsible parenting, economic stability and mobility, and healthy relationships):
Outcome Q1: Does the participation of fathers in the comprehensive Family Formation Program have greater effect on family functioning, father and child outcomes, and father economic stability and mobility compared to fathers receiving the 80 hour economic stability services only (i.e., job readiness and employment skills)?
Implementation Q2: How many families were reached by each of the conditions and was there variability in retention rates of fathers across conditions?
Implementation Q3: Did fathers in the treatment and comparison conditions find the intervention to be acceptable and appropriate?
Implementation Q4: What barriers and benefits exist to successful implementation of father focused family support programs?
Background Fatherhood programs originally had a narrow focus on financial stability and support, but have recently evolved to also emphasize healthy relationships, parenting skills, and father involvement. Despite significant state and federal funding for fatherhood programs, few have undergone rigorous evaluation to examine their effectiveness. This evaluation will determine the added benefit of content on parenting, father-child engagement, and father well-being over and above content on economic stability and mobility, in relation to family functioning, child well-being, and economic stability. This will also further build the evidence supporting one particular comprehensive intervention, FFP, as a means to improve outcomes for children and families through intervening with fathers.
Relation to program logic model The primary research question of this impact evaluation will examine the effect of the FFP on short- and long-term outcomes as described in the FFP logic model
Short-term outcomes assessed by the impact evaluation will include:
- improved parenting and co-parenting skills;
- increased father-child engagement;
- increased financial responsibility of fathers; and
- progress towards greater economic stability.
The impact evaluation will also examine the FFP long-term outcomes of improved family functioning (through changes in father and child well-being; co-parenting relationship quality, and the father-child relationship) and increased economic stability and mobility.
Hypothesis:
Investigators believe that the FFP will have a greater effect on family functioning, father and child outcomes, and father economic stability compared to fathers in the comparison group because members of the treatment group will be receiving a more comprehensive range of services. Investigators anticipate that fathers will equally participate in both programs because both will provide meaningful information and opportunities to build their skill sets.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group (n=350) | Active comparator | Other: Family Formation ProgramThe sample for the treatment group for the impact evaluation will only include fathers who are receiving the full 240 hour Family Formation Program (and not the abbreviated 80 hour program). The treatment group will receive FSC's Family Formation Program, which is a six week, 240 hour program implementing a set of curricula focusing on responsible parenting, healthy relationships,and economic stability and mobility. In addition, participants will receive case management and a variety of employment, legal and support services for up to one year following the completion of the curriculum. |
| Comparison Group (n=350) | No intervention | –The sample comparison group will receive only the abbreviated 80 hour program. Which consist of economic stability and mobility only. These participants will receive employment case management and legal services for up to one year following the completion of the curriculum. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 years and older
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- being a father (biological or step) with at least one child 16 years old or younger
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- no presence of a restraining order from mother or child
- is not currently incarcerated
- is not homeless
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Family Formation ProgramAlso: Economic Stability, Health Relationships, Responsible ParentingThe sample for the treatment group for the impact evaluation will only include fathers who are receiving the full 240 hour FFP program (and not the abbreviated 80 hour program). The treatment group will receive FSC's Family Formation Program, which is a six week, 240 hour program implementing a set of curricula focusing on responsible parenting, healthy relationships, and economic stability and mobility. | Other | Treatment Group (n=350) |
Primary outcome
Father Engagement-Father Research & Practice Network (FRPN) Father Engagement Scale
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
Brief instrument designed to assess fathers' engagement with children at different ages. Separate scales for fathers of children ages 0-1 years, 1-5 years, 6-12 years, and adolescents. Scales found to have good reliability and validity
Father Child Contact-nForm Survey
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
Pre- and post-program nForm survey items related to father-child contact will be used to evaluate this construct.
Child Behavior and Emotion-Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL)
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
Standardized instrument based on national norms that assesses child behavioral and emotional problems. Study will use anxious/depressed and aggressive behavior sub-scales.
Parental Health-SF12v2 Health Survey
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
12-item nationally-normed health survey that measures functional health and well-being from the patient's point of view.
Parental Substance Abuse-Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT)
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
10-item screening tool developed by World Health Organization to assess alcohol use, alcohol dependence, and alcohol-related problems. Its reliability and validity have been established in research conducted in a variety of settings
Parental Consequences related to Drug Abuse-Drug Abuse Screening Test 10 (DAST-10)
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
Brief instrument that yields a quantitative index of the degree of consequences related to drug abuse. Literature has shown moderate to high reliability and validity
Parental Discipline Strategies/Behavior-Conflict Tactics Scale-Parent Child (CTSPC)
Time frame: 1 year from program completion
Well-established instrument used to assess physical and psychological maltreatment. Study will use minor assault and non-violent discipline sub-scale items only
Co-parenting Relationships-FRPN: Coparenting Relationship Scale
Time frame: 1 year after completion
11-item measure designed to assess fathers' coparenting relationships with the mother of their children. The measure was validated with a sample of fathers very similar to those served in U.S. responsible fatherhood programs
Child/Financial Support Behavior-FSC Intake Survey
Time frame: 1 year after program completion
Items from FSC intake survey related to child and financial support will be used to assess this construct.
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 29 Jan 2018.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 34988991Kohl PL, Krauss MJ, King C, Cheng SY, Fowler P, Goodwin DN, Tillis CD, Sullivan H, Sorg A, Mueller NB. The impact of responsible fatherhood programs on parenting, psychological well-being, and financial outcomes: A randomized controlled trial. Fam Process. 2022 Sep;61(3):1097-1115. doi: 10.1111/famp.12752. Epub 2022 Jan 5.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jonathan Green study chair
Washington University, Human Research Protection Office
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Family Formation Program in people with Parenting, run by Fathers' Support Center, St. Louis at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 29 Jan 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Sarah Bobmeyer, MSW (314-935-3723, sbobmeyer@wustl.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Father Engagement-Father Research & Practice Network (FRPN) Father Engagement Scale (time frame: 1 year from program completion). The study lists 9 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03413709, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 29 Jan 2018.