Promotion of Positive Sibling RelationshipsSIBSNCT03706014
Innovative Family Prevention With Latino Siblings in Disadvantaged Settings
A study testing SIBS Program in people with Promotion of Positive Sibling Relationships, run by Harvard University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The current study is a randomized intervention trial that tests the efficacy of a family-focused sibling relationship promotion program. The study includes a treatment group and a contact-equivalent attention control condition with 288 sibling dyads and data collection with target parents, target sibling dyads, and… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 5 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Promotion of Positive Sibling Relationships
- What is being tested?
- SIBS Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 270 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 29 Sep 2018to 15 Dec 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 5 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Target child has to be a 5th grader
- Target child has to be of Latino/Hispanic heritage
- Target child has to have a younger sibling enrolled in the same school in the 1st through 4th grade
- Target child and younger sibling have to be enrolled students in a participating elementary school.
Who cannot join
- Enrollment in a self-contained special education setting
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The current study is a randomized intervention trial that tests the efficacy of a family-focused sibling relationship promotion program. The study includes a treatment group and a contact-equivalent attention control condition with 288 sibling dyads and data collection with target parents, target sibling dyads, and teachers at three time points (pre-test, post-test, and 18-month follow-up). Data will be collected using a three-cohort design with 96 families in each of the three cohorts.
Read the detailed description
The proposed project tests the efficacy of a family-focused program. This innovative program is focused on sibling relationships and parenting of siblings as synergistic targets of change to promote positive interpersonal family dynamics and parent and youth psychosocial and behavioral health and well-being. This translational effort builds on strong theoretical and empirical premises including a successful pilot study (ASU SIBS Program). Using a rigorous design and measurement, aims are to: (a) test the efficacy of SIBS, delivered via 12 weekly afterschool sibling sessions and 3 family nights in the familiar elementary school setting, versus a contact-equivalent attention control condition. Mexican-origin sibling dyads (5th graders and younger siblings; N = 288 dyads) and their parents will be recruited from economically disadvantaged elementary schools and randomly assigned within school to intervention or contact-equivalent attention control conditions. Assessments will be conducted at pre-test, post-test, and 18-month follow-up. Program effects will be tested on primary and secondary outcomes, including sibling relationship quality (i.e., warmth and negativity), sibling relationship skills, children's efficacy (social, emotional), children's internalizing symptoms, parents' stress and depressive symptoms, parent-child warmth and conflict, and family cohesion. Findings will advance prevention science by identifying an efficacious program that capitalizes on cultural assets to promote positive family dynamics and psychosocial well-being among Latinos, including by incorporating daily measurements of intervention targets (sibling relationship skills) to identify mechanisms underlying program effects.
- Being tested
- SIBS Program, Control
- Keywords
- siblings, family, Latinos, social emotional competencies, parenting, middle childhood, late childhood
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
SIBS ProgramBehavioural
Universal prevention program promoting positive sibling and family relationships conducted in an afterschool setting
ControlBehavioural
Contact-equivalent attention control program in which students play educational games
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| SIBS Program | Experimental | The program condition includes 12 weekly 90-minute afterschool group sessions for siblings. Sessions are structured as psycho-educational groups and include social interactional activities, role-playing, discussion, and didactic presentation. The focus is on sibling relationship skills, cognitions, and activities. During a total of 3 family nights, parents attend with their children. Part of the family night session involves parents and children together. Another part of the session involves parents being separated from children. Family Nights promote parents' understanding of sibling relationships, review concepts, provide strategies for parental support of siblings, and teach parents skills for dealing with sibling problems. Family Nights include dinner and last 2 hours. Receives: Behavioral: SIBS Program |
| Contact-Equivalent Attention Control | Placebo comparator | The Contact-Equivalent Attention Control condition includes 12 weekly 90-minute afterschool group sessions for siblings led by two co-leaders. Students work on educational games and activities. Groups begin with an icebreaker and continue with games and projects. This condition also includes 3 family nights, where parents attend with their children. Activities of the Family Nights include children showing their parents the activities they have been engaging in during the sessions. Family Nights include dinner and last 2 hours. Part of the family night session involves parents and children together. Another part of the session involves parents being separated from children; during this part, parents will break out with one group leader, and siblings will work with the other group leader. Receives: Behavioral: Control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Parenting of Siblings Measure
The measure assesses parents' perceptions of three constructs: Parents' positive guidance, authoritarian control, and involvement (McHale et al., 2000; Updegraff et al., 2016). For each subscale, scores range from 1 to 5. Higher subscale scores indicate more positive guidance (i.e., better outcome), higher involvement (i.e., better outcome), and higher authoritarian control (i.e., worse outcome). Subscales are not combined into a total score.
Measured: 16 weeks
Sibling Prosocial Behavior
The measure assesses parents' perceptions of one construct: Parents' ratings of children's supportive and prosocial behaviors (Stormshak, Bellanti, \& Bierman, 1996; Updegraff et al., 2016).
Scores range from 1 to 6. Higher scores indicate parents' perceptions of target child's more prosocial behaviors toward their sibling (i.e., better outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Sibling Intimacy
The measure assesses siblings' ratings of intimacy/emotional support (Blyth \& Foster-Clark, 1987). Scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate target child's perceptions of higher sibling intimacy and closeness (i.e., better outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Sibling Relationship Inventory: Negativity Subscale
The measure assesses parents' ratings of sibling conflict and negativity (Stocker \& McHale, 1992). Scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate parents' perceptions of target child's greater negativity toward their sibling (i.e., worse outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Sibling Relationship Inventory: Negativity Subscale
The measure assesses children's ratings of sibling conflict and negativity (Furman \& Buhrmester, 1985). Scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate target child's perceptions of higher sibling conflict and negativity (i.e., worse outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Secondary outcomes (9)
Self-efficacy Measure
This measure assesses children's ratings of two constructs: social self-efficacy and emotional self-efficacy (Muris, 2001). For each subscale, scores range from 1 to 5. Higher subscale scores indicate greater social self-efficacy (i.e., better outcome) and greater emotional self-efficacy (i.e., better outcome). Subscales are not combined into a total score.
Measured: 16 weeks
Children's Depression Inventory
This measure assesses children's ratings of their depressive symptoms (Kovacs, 1985). Items are scored on a scale from 0 to 2, and higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms (i.e., worse outcome). If mean scores are used, scores range from 0 to 2. If sum scores are used, scores range from 0 to 52.
Measured: 16 weeks
Behavior Problem Index
This measure assesses parents' perceptions of children's social emotional functioning in 6 domains (i.e., antisocial, anxious/depressed, headstrong, hyperactive, dependency, peer conflict; Peterson \& Zill, 1986). For all scales, items are scored on a scale from 1 to 3. For each subcale, higher scores indicate higher problem behavior in the domain (i.e., worse outcome). Mean scores are created for each subscale, and a total mean score is created across all domains - in all cases, higher scores indicate worse outcomes.
Measured: 16 weeks
Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale
The CES-D (Radloff, 1977) assesses parents' depressive symptoms. Items are scored on a scale from 0 to 3, and higher scores indicate greater depressive symptoms (i.e., worse outcome). No subscales are created. If mean scores are used, scores range from 0 to 3. If sum scores are used, scores range from 0 to 60.
Measured: 16 weeks
Parenting Stress Index
This measure assesses parents' perceptions of parental stress and includes two subscales: parental distress and dysfunctional interaction (Abidin, 1995). Items for each subscale are scored on a scale from 1 to 5. Mean scores can be created for each subscale, and higher scores indicate higher levels of distress (i.e., worse outcome) and higher dysfunctional interaction (i.e., worse outcome). A total scale score can be created across all items and higher scores indicate higher parenting stress (i.e., worse outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Children's Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory - Parent-Child Warmth
This measure assesses parent and child's report of parent-child warmth (Schaefer, 1965). Items are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Items are average and higher scores indicate greater perceptions of parent-child warmth (i.e., better outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Children's Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory - Harsh Discipline
This measure assesses parent's reports of harsh discipline (Schaefer, 1965). Items are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Items are average and higher scores indicate greater perceptions of harsh discipline (i.e., worse outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Parent-Child Conflict measure
This measure assesses parents' perceptions of parent-child conflict (Smetana, 1988). Items are scored on a scale from 1 to 6. Average scores are created and higher values indicate greater parent-child conflict (i.e., worse outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II
This measure assesses parents' perceptions of family cohesion (Olson, Portner, \& Bell, 1982). Items are scored on a scale from 1 to 5. An average score is created and higher scores indicate greater family cohesion (i.e., better outcome).
Measured: 16 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Oct 2018
- Study start29 Sep 2018
- Primary completion15 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion15 Dec 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Promotion of Positive Sibling RelationshipsStudies 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Randomized Controlled Trial involving a contact-equivalent control group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 270 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Adriana Umaña-Taylor, Harvard University
- Investigators
- Adriana J Umana-Taylor, PhD, Principal investigator, Harvard UniversityKimberly A Updegraff, PhD, Principal investigator, Arizona State University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03706014
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SITE18-0185
- Acronym
- SIBS
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 26 Aug 2018
- Last updated
- 27 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Updegraff KA, Umana-Taylor AJ, Rodriguez De Jesus SA, McHale SM, Feinberg MF, Kuo SI. Family-focused prevention with Latinos: What about sisters and brothers? J Fam Psychol. 2016 Aug;30(5):633-40. doi: 10.1037/fam0000200. Epub 2016 Apr 14.
PubMed 27077238Feinberg ME, Solmeyer AR, Hostetler ML, Sakuma KL, Jones D, McHale SM. Siblings are special: initial test of a new approach for preventing youth behavior problems. J Adolesc Health. 2013 Aug;53(2):166-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.10.004. Epub 2012 Nov 20.
PubMed 23298985Duran JG, Updegraff KA, Son D, Gallagher A, Umana-Taylor AJ, Feinberg ME. Trajectories and correlates of Latino/a children's sibling relationships. Dev Psychol. 2026 Jul 9:10.1037/dev0002227. doi: 10.1037/dev0002227. Online ahead of print.
PubMed 42423725Cahill KM, Updegraff KA, Umana-Taylor AJ, Feinberg ME. Engaging Latino Families in a Sibling-Focused Family Prevention Program. Prev Sci. 2026 Mar;27(3):376-389. doi: 10.1007/s11121-026-01886-3. Epub 2026 Apr 9.
PubMed 41954835
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Innovative Family Prevention With Latino Siblings in Disadvantaged Settings
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03706014
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SIBS / SITE18-0185
- Keywords
- siblings, family, Latinos, social emotional competencies, parenting, middle childhood, late childhood
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 270 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 29 Sep 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 15 Dec 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Oct 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 current study is a randomized intervention trial that tests the efficacy of a family-focused sibling relationship promotion program. The study includes a treatment group and a contact-equivalent attention control condition with 288 sibling dyads and data collection with target parents, target sibling dyads, and teachers at three time points (pre-test, post-test, and 18-month follow-up). Data will be collected using a three-cohort design with 96 families in each of the three cohorts.
Detailed description
The proposed project tests the efficacy of a family-focused program. This innovative program is focused on sibling relationships and parenting of siblings as synergistic targets of change to promote positive interpersonal family dynamics and parent and youth psychosocial and behavioral health and well-being. This translational effort builds on strong theoretical and empirical premises including a successful pilot study (ASU SIBS Program). Using a rigorous design and measurement, aims are to: (a) test the efficacy of SIBS, delivered via 12 weekly afterschool sibling sessions and 3 family nights in the familiar elementary school setting, versus a contact-equivalent attention control condition. Mexican-origin sibling dyads (5th graders and younger siblings; N = 288 dyads) and their parents will be recruited from economically disadvantaged elementary schools and randomly assigned within school to intervention or contact-equivalent attention control conditions. Assessments will be conducted at pre-test, post-test, and 18-month follow-up. Program effects will be tested on primary and secondary outcomes, including sibling relationship quality (i.e., warmth and negativity), sibling relationship skills, children's efficacy (social, emotional), children's internalizing symptoms, parents' stress and depressive symptoms, parent-child warmth and conflict, and family cohesion. Findings will advance prevention science by identifying an efficacious program that capitalizes on cultural assets to promote positive family dynamics and psychosocial well-being among Latinos, including by incorporating daily measurements of intervention targets (sibling relationship skills) to identify mechanisms underlying program effects.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Randomized Controlled Trial involving a contact-equivalent control group
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| SIBS Program | Experimental | Behavioral: SIBS ProgramThe program condition includes 12 weekly 90-minute afterschool group sessions for siblings. Sessions are structured as psycho-educational groups and include social interactional activities, role-playing, discussion, and didactic presentation. The focus is on sibling relationship skills, cognitions, and activities. During a total of 3 family nights, parents attend with their children. Part of the family night session involves parents and children together. Another part of the session involves parents being separated from children. Family Nights promote parents' understanding of sibling relationships, review concepts, provide strategies for parental support of siblings, and teach parents skills for dealing with sibling problems. Family Nights include dinner and last 2 hours. |
| Contact-Equivalent Attention Control | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: ControlThe Contact-Equivalent Attention Control condition includes 12 weekly 90-minute afterschool group sessions for siblings led by two co-leaders. Students work on educational games and activities. Groups begin with an icebreaker and continue with games and projects. This condition also includes 3 family nights, where parents attend with their children. Activities of the Family Nights include children showing their parents the activities they have been engaging in during the sessions. Family Nights include dinner and last 2 hours. Part of the family night session involves parents and children together. Another part of the session involves parents being separated from children; during this part, parents will break out with one group leader, and siblings will work with the other group leader. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 5 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Target child has to be a 5th grader
- Target child has to be of Latino/Hispanic heritage
- Target child has to have a younger sibling enrolled in the same school in the 1st through 4th grade
- Target child and younger sibling have to be enrolled students in a participating elementary school.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Enrollment in a self-contained special education setting
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SIBS ProgramUniversal prevention program promoting positive sibling and family relationships conducted in an afterschool setting | Behavioural | SIBS Program |
| ControlContact-equivalent attention control program in which students play educational games | Behavioural | Contact-Equivalent Attention Control |
Primary outcome
Parenting of Siblings Measure
Time frame: 16 weeks
The measure assesses parents' perceptions of three constructs: Parents' positive guidance, authoritarian control, and involvement (McHale et al., 2000; Updegraff et al., 2016). For each subscale, scores range from 1 to 5. Higher subscale scores indicate more positive guidance (i.e., better outcome), higher involvement (i.e., better outcome), and higher authoritarian control (i.e., worse outcome). Subscales are not combined into a total score.
Sibling Prosocial Behavior
Time frame: 16 weeks
The measure assesses parents' perceptions of one construct: Parents' ratings of children's supportive and prosocial behaviors (Stormshak, Bellanti, \& Bierman, 1996; Updegraff et al., 2016). Scores range from 1 to 6. Higher scores indicate parents' perceptions of target child's more prosocial behaviors toward their sibling (i.e., better outcome).
Sibling Intimacy
Time frame: 16 weeks
The measure assesses siblings' ratings of intimacy/emotional support (Blyth \& Foster-Clark, 1987). Scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate target child's perceptions of higher sibling intimacy and closeness (i.e., better outcome).
Sibling Relationship Inventory: Negativity Subscale
Time frame: 16 weeks
The measure assesses parents' ratings of sibling conflict and negativity (Stocker \& McHale, 1992). Scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate parents' perceptions of target child's greater negativity toward their sibling (i.e., worse outcome).
Sibling Relationship Inventory: Negativity Subscale
Time frame: 16 weeks
The measure assesses children's ratings of sibling conflict and negativity (Furman \& Buhrmester, 1985). Scores range from 1 to 5. Higher scores indicate target child's perceptions of higher sibling conflict and negativity (i.e., worse outcome).
9 secondary outcomes
Self-efficacy Measure
Time frame: 16 weeks
Children's Depression Inventory
Time frame: 16 weeks
Behavior Problem Index
Time frame: 16 weeks
Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale
Time frame: 16 weeks
Parenting Stress Index
Time frame: 16 weeks
Children's Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory - Parent-Child Warmth
Time frame: 16 weeks
Children's Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory - Harsh Discipline
Time frame: 16 weeks
Parent-Child Conflict measure
Time frame: 16 weeks
Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II
Time frame: 16 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 Oct 2025.
- Background: PubMed 27077238Updegraff KA, Umana-Taylor AJ, Rodriguez De Jesus SA, McHale SM, Feinberg MF, Kuo SI. Family-focused prevention with Latinos: What about sisters and brothers? J Fam Psychol. 2016 Aug;30(5):633-40. doi: 10.1037/fam0000200. Epub 2016 Apr 14.
- Background: PubMed 23298985Feinberg ME, Solmeyer AR, Hostetler ML, Sakuma KL, Jones D, McHale SM. Siblings are special: initial test of a new approach for preventing youth behavior problems. J Adolesc Health. 2013 Aug;53(2):166-73. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.10.004. Epub 2012 Nov 20.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42423725Duran JG, Updegraff KA, Son D, Gallagher A, Umana-Taylor AJ, Feinberg ME. Trajectories and correlates of Latino/a children's sibling relationships. Dev Psychol. 2026 Jul 9:10.1037/dev0002227. doi: 10.1037/dev0002227. Online ahead of print.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41954835Cahill KM, Updegraff KA, Umana-Taylor AJ, Feinberg ME. Engaging Latino Families in a Sibling-Focused Family Prevention Program. Prev Sci. 2026 Mar;27(3):376-389. doi: 10.1007/s11121-026-01886-3. Epub 2026 Apr 9.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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.
Adriana J Umana-Taylor, PhD principal investigator
Harvard University
Kimberly A Updegraff, PhD principal investigator
Arizona State University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing SIBS Program in people with Promotion of Positive Sibling Relationships, run by Harvard University 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 4 inclusion and 1 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: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Oct 2025. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Parenting of Siblings Measure (time frame: 16 weeks). The study lists 5 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 NCT03706014, which also lists 4 linked publications.
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 27 Oct 2025.