Disruptive BehaviorDOCS parentingNCT07505381
Behavioral Parent Training to Address Early Childhood Disruptive Behavior Using the DOCS Parenting Programs
A study testing DOCS Parenting: Early Years and DOCS Parenting: School Years in people with Disruptive Behavior and Developmental Disability, run by University of South Florida at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
DOCS Parenting offers group-delivered behavioral parent training interventions for caregivers of children ages 0-12 years. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Disruptive Behavior, Developmental Disability, Developmental Delay (Disorder)
- What is being tested?
- DOCS Parenting: Early Years and DOCS Parenting: School Years
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 800 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 2 Oct 2018to 30 Sep 2028
- 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- caregiver or professional caring for child ages 0-12 years, or
- caregiver or professional caring for a child enrolled in kindergarten-5th grade.
- Must speak English or Spanish.
Who cannot join
- Language other than English or Spanish.
- Caregiver/professional under the age of 18.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida, 33620
Heather Agazzi, PhD, 813-974-0606, hcurtis@usf.edu
Sarah Dickinson, PhD, 813-974-5770, sdickinson@usf.edu
About this study
Official title: DOCS Parenting: Early Years and School Years
DOCS Parenting offers group-delivered behavioral parent training interventions for caregivers of children ages 0-12 years.
Read the detailed description
Challenging behaviors such as whining, temper tantrums, and non-compliance are very common during the toddler and preschool years, and if left unaddressed, will persist through early and middle childhood. Children with special needs are at even greater risk for behavioral problems. Caregivers may not understand why their children misbehave and may become frustrated in their attempts to discipline.
DOCS Parenting offer caregivers a problem-solving approach to understand and resolve everyday behavior problems. These programs emphasize prevention strategies and positive behavior supports. Caregivers who have completed DOCS Parenting report gains in their parenting skills, reductions in parenting stress and child behavior problems, and satisfaction with the programs.
DOCS Parenting sessions are available in both English and Spanish. DOCS Parenting has been recognized as an outstanding community resource, and has received awards from Early Steps, the Early Childhood Council, and the Hispanic Heritage Committee.
- Conditions
- Disruptive Behavior, Developmental Disability, Developmental Delay (Disorder), Behavior Problem of Childhood
- Being tested
- DOCS Parenting: Early Years, DOCS Parenting: School Years
- Medical subject headings
- Problem Behavior, Developmental Disabilities
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
DOCS Parenting: Early YearsBehavioural
Early Years is a group delivered behavioral parenting intervention for caregivers and professionals of children 0-5 years
DOCS Parenting: School YearsBehavioural
School Years is a group delivered behavioral parent training intervention for caregivers and professionals of children in Kindergarten thru 5th Grade
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| DOCS Parenting Intervention | Experimental | Early Years administered for caregivers of children 0-5 years; School Years administered for caregivers of children in Kindergarten thru 5th grade; Professionals working with children birth-5th grade can enroll in either program Receives: Behavioral: DOCS Parenting: Early Years; Behavioral: DOCS Parenting: School Years |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory
Child behavior problems are analyzed at pre- and post-intervention using the Intensity scale of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI). Caregivers used a 7-point Likert scale (1 = never to 7 = always) to rate intensity of child problem behaviors (e.g., aggression, whining, noncompliance). Intensity scores range from 36 to 252, and a score of 131 or higher indicates a clinically significant behavior problem and higher scores = worse outcome. The ECBI has high test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, and inter-rater reliability (αs = .75, .93, and .79, respectively) and strong content and construct validity.
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks.
DOCS Parenting Stress Measure
Parenting stress is analyzed using the DOCS Parenting Stress Measure at pre- and post-intervention (DOCS PSM, adapted from the Autism Parenting Stress Index. The APSI was designed to measure caregivers' ability to cope with the demands of raising a child with autism and includes 13 items related to daily living, development, and adaptation. The adaptation involved slightly re-wording some items (e.g., changing your child's diet to your child's feeding difficulties) and adding four items on the impact parenting has on other aspects of the caregiver's life, like the time and financial resources parenting takes. Like the ASPI, the 17-item DOCS PSM uses Likert-scale responses ranging from 0 = not stressful to 4 = so stressful sometimes you feel you can't cope with total scores ranging from 0-68, higher scores = more stress and worse outcome. The ASPI has demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability (αs = .83, .88, respectively).
Measured: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks.
Secondary outcomes (2)
Therapy Attitude Inventory
The Therapy Attitude Inventory (TAI) is administered at post-test to assess participant satisfaction. The TAI has 10 items covering discipline techniques taught in the course and caregiver confidence with using them, and strategies for teaching modeled through the course etc. The TAI uses a 5-point Likert scale with responses ranging from no satisfaction or improvement (e.g., 1 = nothing, much worse than before, etc.) to high levels of satisfaction or improvement (e.g., 5 = greatly improved, very satisfied, etc.) and overall scores range from 10-50 with higher scores = better outcome. The TAI has demonstrated excellent reliability, good test-retest reliability and acceptable internal consistency (αs = .91, .85, and .78, respectively.
Measured: From enrollment to end of treatment at 6 weeks.
Developmentally Appropriate Discipline Inventory
The Developmentally Appropriate Discipline Inventory is administered at post-test to assess participant knowledge of developmentally appropriate discipline strategies as a result of participating in the DOCS intervention. The DADI has 10 items covering discipline techniques taught in the intervention. The DADI uses a 5-point Likert scale with responses ranging from strongly disagree (e.g., 1 = strongly disagree, etc.) to strongly agree (e.g., 5 = strongly agree.) and overall scores range from 10-50 with higher scores = better outcome.
Measured: From enrollment to end of treatment at 6 weeks.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Apr 2026
- Study start2 Oct 2018
- Primary completion30 Sep 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Sep 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (5)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Disruptive BehaviorStudies 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
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 800 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of South Florida
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505381
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro00032638
- Acronym
- DOCS parenting
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 9 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: I do not have IRB approval to share IPD.
Publications
Rich, B. A., & M., E. S. (2001). Accuracy of assessment: The discriminative and predictive power of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Ambulatory Child Health, 7, 249-257.
Silva LM, Schalock M. Autism Parenting Stress Index: initial psychometric evidence. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Apr;42(4):566-74. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1274-1.
PubMed 21556967Boggs, S. R., Eyberg, S., & Reynolds, L. A. (1990). Concurrent validity of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19(1), 75-78. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp1901_9
Funderburk, B. W., Eyberg, S. M., Rich, B. A., & Behar, L. (2003). Further psychometric evaluation of the Eyberg and Behar rating scales for parents and teachers of preschoolers. Early Education and Development, 14(1), 67-82.
Calzada EJ, Eyberg SM, Rich B, Querido JG. Parenting disruptive preschoolers: experiences of mothers and fathers. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2004 Apr;32(2):203-13. doi: 10.1023/b:jacp.0000019771.43161.1c.
PubMed 15164861
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- DOCS Parenting: Early Years and School Years
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07505381
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DOCS parenting / Pro00032638
- Conditions
- Disruptive Behavior, Developmental Disability, Developmental Delay (Disorder), Behavior Problem of Childhood
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 800 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of South FloridaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 2 Oct 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Sep 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 Apr 2026 (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.
DOCS Parenting offers group-delivered behavioral parent training interventions for caregivers of children ages 0-12 years.
Detailed description
Challenging behaviors such as whining, temper tantrums, and non-compliance are very common during the toddler and preschool years, and if left unaddressed, will persist through early and middle childhood. Children with special needs are at even greater risk for behavioral problems. Caregivers may not understand why their children misbehave and may become frustrated in their attempts to discipline.
DOCS Parenting offer caregivers a problem-solving approach to understand and resolve everyday behavior problems. These programs emphasize prevention strategies and positive behavior supports. Caregivers who have completed DOCS Parenting report gains in their parenting skills, reductions in parenting stress and child behavior problems, and satisfaction with the programs.
DOCS Parenting sessions are available in both English and Spanish. DOCS Parenting has been recognized as an outstanding community resource, and has received awards from Early Steps, the Early Childhood Council, and the Hispanic Heritage Committee.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| DOCS Parenting Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: DOCS Parenting: Early Years, Behavioral: DOCS Parenting: School YearsEarly Years administered for caregivers of children 0-5 years; School Years administered for caregivers of children in Kindergarten thru 5th grade; Professionals working with children birth-5th grade can enroll in either program |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- caregiver or professional caring for child ages 0-12 years, or
- caregiver or professional caring for a child enrolled in kindergarten-5th grade.
- Must speak English or Spanish.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Language other than English or Spanish.
- Caregiver/professional under the age of 18.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| DOCS Parenting: Early YearsEarly Years is a group delivered behavioral parenting intervention for caregivers and professionals of children 0-5 years | Behavioural | DOCS Parenting Intervention |
| DOCS Parenting: School YearsSchool Years is a group delivered behavioral parent training intervention for caregivers and professionals of children in Kindergarten thru 5th Grade | Behavioural | DOCS Parenting Intervention |
Primary outcome
Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks.
Child behavior problems are analyzed at pre- and post-intervention using the Intensity scale of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI). Caregivers used a 7-point Likert scale (1 = never to 7 = always) to rate intensity of child problem behaviors (e.g., aggression, whining, noncompliance). Intensity scores range from 36 to 252, and a score of 131 or higher indicates a clinically significant behavior problem and higher scores = worse outcome. The ECBI has high test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, and inter-rater reliability (αs = .75, .93, and .79, respectively) and strong content and construct validity.
DOCS Parenting Stress Measure
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks.
Parenting stress is analyzed using the DOCS Parenting Stress Measure at pre- and post-intervention (DOCS PSM, adapted from the Autism Parenting Stress Index. The APSI was designed to measure caregivers' ability to cope with the demands of raising a child with autism and includes 13 items related to daily living, development, and adaptation. The adaptation involved slightly re-wording some items (e.g., changing your child's diet to your child's feeding difficulties) and adding four items on the impact parenting has on other aspects of the caregiver's life, like the time and financial resources parenting takes. Like the ASPI, the 17-item DOCS PSM uses Likert-scale responses ranging from 0 = not stressful to 4 = so stressful sometimes you feel you can't cope with total scores ranging from 0-68, higher scores = more stress and worse outcome. The ASPI has demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability (αs = .83, .88, respectively).
2 secondary outcomes
Therapy Attitude Inventory
Time frame: From enrollment to end of treatment at 6 weeks.
Developmentally Appropriate Discipline Inventory
Time frame: From enrollment to end of treatment at 6 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 6 Aug 2026.
- BackgroundRich, B. A., & M., E. S. (2001). Accuracy of assessment: The discriminative and predictive power of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Ambulatory Child Health, 7, 249-257.
- Background: PubMed 21556967Silva LM, Schalock M. Autism Parenting Stress Index: initial psychometric evidence. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Apr;42(4):566-74. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1274-1.
- BackgroundBoggs, S. R., Eyberg, S., & Reynolds, L. A. (1990). Concurrent validity of the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19(1), 75-78. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp1901_9
- BackgroundFunderburk, B. W., Eyberg, S. M., Rich, B. A., & Behar, L. (2003). Further psychometric evaluation of the Eyberg and Behar rating scales for parents and teachers of preschoolers. Early Education and Development, 14(1), 67-82.
- Background: PubMed 15164861Calzada EJ, Eyberg SM, Rich B, Querido JG. Parenting disruptive preschoolers: experiences of mothers and fathers. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2004 Apr;32(2):203-13. doi: 10.1023/b:jacp.0000019771.43161.1c.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. I do not have IRB approval to share IPD.
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing DOCS Parenting: Early Years and DOCS Parenting: School Years in people with Disruptive Behavior and Developmental Disability, run by University of South Florida 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 3 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Aug 2026. 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?
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?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 weeks.). 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?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07505381, which also lists 5 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 6 Aug 2026.