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Early Life AdversityCARENCT05259436

Collaborative Approach to Examining Adversity and Building Resilience Study

A study testing Caregiver-child Intervention and Enhanced Primary Care in people with Early Life Adversity and Caregiver Stress, run by University of California, San Francisco at 4 sites in United States.

Active, not recruiting

Under way, not looking for participants. Everyone needed has enrolled. The study is still running.

Official record
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Trial summary

To examine the behavioral, psychosocial, and biologic impact of resilience-promoting interventions associated with primary care. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 2 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Early Life Adversity, Caregiver Stress
What is being tested?
Caregiver-child Intervention and Enhanced Primary Care
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
300 participants
Where
4 sitesUnited States
Study dates
11 Apr 2022to 30 Jun 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 2 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Regular access to web-based computer, smart phone, or tablet if necessary to delivery via telehealth due to the COVID19 Pandemic (relative exclusion criteria - have budgeted to provide tablets and mobile wifi hot spots for up to 10% of participants)
  • Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) Program
  • Caregiver: 18 years old and older, primary caregiver, English or Spanish speaking
  • Child: 2 to 4 years, PEARLS score > 1
  • Resilience Clinic
  • Caregiver: 18 years old and older, primary caregiver, English or Spanish speaking
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Child: 2 to 5 years, PEARLS score > 1 or verbal disclosure of PEARLS adversity to primary care clinician/staff
  • HEROES Family Program
  • Caregiver: 18 years old and older, primary caregiver, ACE score > 2 if child PEARLS score = 0, English or Spanish speaking
  • Child: 2 to 5 years, PEARLS score > 1

Who cannot join

  • Caregiver: active suicidality, other psychiatric issues
  • Child: significant medical co-morbidities (i.e. disease requiring immunomodulators, chemo or radiation therapy, or hormonal therapy)

Trial locations and contacts

4 sites in 1 country.

United States4 sites
  • UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland

    Oakland, California, 94609

  • LifeLong Medical Care

    Richmond, California, 94804

  • Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

    San Francisco, California, 94110

  • Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics

    Santa Barbara, California, 93101

Other trials in United States

About this study

To examine the behavioral, psychosocial, and biologic impact of resilience-promoting interventions associated with primary care.

Read the detailed description

Early-life trauma and related adversities are prevalent and associated with negative health and achievement outcomes. These adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are especially common in economically disadvantaged and communities of color. While there has been tremendous growth in knowledge about ACEs and their impact on health across the life course, critical gaps persist: 1) Which biologic pathways are most affected by ACEs during early childhood and may help identify those children at greatest risk for future poor health? And, 2) How may child and family resilience be bolstered across the care continuum to mitigate the negative health effects of ACEs? These critical gaps severely limit our ability to effectively identify children at high-risk and to intervene to promote resilience before poor health occurs.

Three previously piloted resilience-promoting, caregiver-child interventions will be examined: primary care-based, group-delivered Resilience Clinic (RC); home-based, dyadic Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC); and primary care-based, dyadic Resiliency Family Program (RFP). Using a randomized wait- list controlled trial design,12 families will be assigned to intervention or enhanced primary care (n=50/arm in each intervention, total n=300). Pre-post intervention health (behavioral, caregiver stress) and biology will be compared between intervention and controls, as well as modifying factors such as setting and delivery method.

Being tested
Caregiver-child Intervention, Enhanced Primary Care
Medical subject headings
Caregiver Burden

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Caregiver-child InterventionBehavioural

    Intervention Groups:

    1. Resilience Clinic (Benioff Oakland): 6 weekly interactive group-based visits in primary care that draws from the evidence-based Circle of Security Parenting along with the principles of mindfulness;
    2. ABC Intervention (Lifelong): 10 weekly home visiting sessions. ABC is an empirically supported parenting program that focuses on improving maternal sensitivity; and,
    3. Resiliency Family Program (Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinic): 4 primary-care-based visits, every 2-3 weeks, that include psycho-education materials drawing from the culturally-responsive, evidence-based program, Madres a Madres.
  • Enhanced Primary CareBehavioural

    Enhanced Primary Care (control group): This includes care coordination services for community resources in addition to usual care. Participants will be asked about any unmet social needs, e.g. food insecurity, financial strain, safe places to play. Those who endorse need will be offered navigational services to link to community resources.

Study groups in NCT05259436
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Caregiver-Child InterventionExperimentalInvestigators will examine the immediate psychosocial, behavioral, and child biologic response to three caregiver-child interventions depending on site of enrollment. Each interventions contain overlapping core elements, but also contribute unique facets, allowing us to examine overall intervention effects, as well as unique settings (e.g. home vs. clinic) and delivery effects (1:1 vs. group), providing insight for future direction.
Receives: Behavioral: Caregiver-child Intervention
Enhanced Primary CareActive comparatorNavigational services for social need resources.
Receives: Behavioral: Enhanced Primary Care

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change in Parenting Stress Index (PSI) score

    Caregiver reported survey validated measure of parenting stress. The Parenting Stress Index - Short Form (PSI) is a 36-item self-report measure completed by parents to measure stress level within the context of parenting. Participants respond to items on a 5-point Likert scale. Responses to each item in a sub-category are totaled to calculate three subcategory scores, which are summed to represent a total parenting stress score. Higher scores indicate higher levels of parenting stress.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  2. Change in Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) total problems scale score

    Caregiver reported survey validated measure of child behavioral and emotional challenges on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Preschool form from The Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). The CBCL is standardized for children ages 1.5 to 5 years. Respondents are asked to rate 99 problem items as 0 for "not true of the child," 1 for "somewhat or sometimes true of the child," and 2 for "very true or often true of the child" based on the past two months. The range of possible values is 0-100.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

Secondary outcomes (19)
  1. Change in global health (PROMIS global health)

    PROMIS® (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System®) is a set of person-centered measures that evaluates and monitors physical, mental, and social health in adults and children. This study uses the first question on the global scale, with minimum value of 1 and maximum of 5. Higher scores mean better general health.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  2. Change in caregiver depression (PHQ) total score

    Caregiver reported survey validated measure of self-report depressive symptoms on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Respondents are asked 8 questions to rate from 0 for "not at all" to 3 for "nearly every day" based on the past two weeks. The range of possible values is from 0-27. Higher scores indicate higher self-report depressive symptoms.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  3. Change in caregiver anxiety (GAD) total score

    Caregiver reported survey validated measure of self-report symptoms of general anxiety on the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) questionnaire. Respondents are asked 7 questions to rate from 0 for "not at all" to 3 for "nearly every day" based on the past two weeks. The range of possible values is from 0-21. Higher score indicates higher self-report general anxiety symptoms.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  4. Change in family cohesion total score

    The Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II (FACES II) family cohesion scale evaluates eight concepts (2 items each): emotional bonding, family boundaries, coalitions, time, space, friends, decision-making, and interest and recreation. Respondents rate from 1 for "almost never or never" to 5 for "almost always or always." A higher score indicates high family cohesion.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  5. Change in adult reported social and emotional support (ARSES) total score

    Adult-reported social and emotional support is assessed using a standardized single item, "How often do you get the social and emotional support you need?" Response choices were "always," "usually," "sometimes," "rarely," or "never."

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  6. Change in atopy (ISSAC screen)

    ISAAC was an epidemiological study following a survey of 2 million children worldwide to evaluate the prevalence of atopic disease in various ethnic backgrounds. The questionnaire is self-reported by parents and children to evaluate asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema in childhood. 21 items, core questionnaires to assess the prevalence and severity of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in defined populations.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  7. Change in general stress (Perceived Stress Scale) total score

    The Perceived Stress Scale measures the extent to which an individual perceives situations in his or her life as stressful. It is a measure of global perceived stress and asks about feelings and thoughts during the last month. Respondents are asked 10 questions to rate from 0 for "never" to 4 for "very often" based on the past month. The range of possible values is from 0-40. Higher score indicates higher perceived stress.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  8. Change in health-related social needs (Accountable Health Communities total score)

    Questionnaire assessing impacts of current unmet health-related social needs (6 items; housing instability and problems, food insecurity, transportation needs, problems paying for utilities/bills) and number of current social needs.

    Questionnaire assessing impacts of current unmet health-related social needs (6 items; housing instability and problems, food insecurity, transportation needs, problems paying for utilities/bills) and number of current social needs.

    Questionnaire assessing impacts of current unmet health-related social needs (6 items; housing instability and problems, food insecurity, transportation needs, problems paying for utilities/bills) and number of current social needs.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  9. Telomere length

    Telomeres are nucleoproteins that protect the ends of chromosomes. Telomere length is a biomarker of cellular aging. Chronic stress has been associated with shorter telomere length.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  10. Leptin

    Leptin is a hormone primarily secreted by fat cells to reduce hunger.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  11. CRP

    C-reactive protein is produced by the liver in response to inflammation. Higher level of CRP in the blood is an indicator of inflammation.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  12. IGFBP1

    Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 is mainly expressed in the liver and circulates in plasma where it interacts with IGF-1 and 2. IGFBP-1 plays an important role in metabolism and low levels of this protein has associated with impaired glucose tolerance and hypertension

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  13. HA1C

    The hemoglobin A1c (glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, HbA1c, or A1c) test is used to evaluate a person's level of glucose control. The test shows an average of the blood sugar level over the past 90 days and represents a percentage.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  14. blood pressure

    Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, averaged across 3 readings.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  15. resting heart rate

    Number of beats per minutes.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  16. waist circumference

    Measuring waist circumference in cm. Waist and hip measurements will be combined to report waist-hip ratio (WHR) as a dimensionless ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  17. hip circumference

    Measuring hip circumference in cm. Waist and hip measurements will be combined to report waist-hip ratio (WHR) as a dimensionless ratio of the circumference of the waist to that of the hips.

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  18. weight

    Weight will be measured in kg. Weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

  19. height

    Height will be measured in cm. Weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2

    Measured: baseline/enrollment and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted28 Feb 2022
  2. Study start11 Apr 2022
  3. Primary completion31 Dec 2024
  4. Study completion30 Jun 2025 (estimated)

Resources

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
Wait-list randomized controlled trial.
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
300 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT05259436
Sponsor's protocol ID
21-34534
Acronym
CARE
Status last verified
May 2025
First submitted
7 Feb 2022
Last updated
8 May 2025
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Caregiver-child Intervention and Enhanced Primary Care in people with Early Life Adversity and Caregiver Stress, run by University of California, San Francisco at 4 sites 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 10 inclusion and 2 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 8 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 4 sites 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?

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?

Change in Parenting Stress Index (PSI) score (time frame: baseline/enrollment and 2 week and 3-month follow-up after intervention ends). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 8 May 2025.

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