The Buffering Toxic Stress (BTS) Consortium:

Testing Parenting Interventions in Early Head Start (EHS)

Sponsored by the Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (OPRE) within

the Administration for Children & Families (ACF)

GoalsO Each site must:

O Work to empirically validate the assessment of toxic stress

O Test a promising intervention(s)O Evaluate intervention implementationO Include assessments of the hormone

cortisol

Research Sites & Principal Investigators

O New York University: Clancy Blair & C. Cybele Raver

O University of Colorado: Michelle Sarche & Misty Boyd

O University of Delaware: Rena Hallam, Myae Han, Jason Hustedt, & Jennifer A. Vu

O University of Denver: Sarah Enos Watamura

O University of Maryland: Lisa Berlin & Brenda Jones Hardin

O Washington University: John N. Constantino

Intervention Required Components

O Each site selected their own intervention based on their sites specific needs and resources, and their estimation of the research body behind each

O All interventions target parents as the first critical support for infants and toddlers – and the barrier between what is tolerable and what is toxic

O Families served must be attending Early Head Start programming of some type (home visitation, center care etc.)

Interventions by SiteO New York University: Play and Learning Strategies (Pals)

O University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) & Mindfulness-Based Emotional Availability Intervention

O University of Delaware: Promoting First Relationships (PFR)

O University of Denver: Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND), and FIND+ Parent Focused Support

O University of Maryland: Attachment & Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC)

O Washington University: Incredible Years Toddler Basic Parenting Program (IYT)

New York UniversityO Intervention Name: Play and Learning Strategies (PLAY)O Intervention Developer: LandryO Population: primarily low income Latina mothers and

childrenO Location: New York CityO Intervention components:

O Family coaches deliver the intervention by visiting families on a weekly basis over the course of three months

O Each session includes a discussion of the parent's practice during the preceding week; introduction of the new topic; viewing of educational videos demonstrating the skill; guided, videotaped practice using the skill with her own child; review of the videotaped practice; and planning for practice during the upcoming week.  

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

O Intervention Name: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Mindfulness Based Emotional Availability Intervention (MEAI)

O Intervention Developers: PCIT - Eyberg; MEAI – Beringen O Population: American IndianO Location: A mid-western state (not Colorado)O Intervention components:

O PCIT first mastery is obtained with following the child’s lead in play; then behavioral management strategies are taught

O MEAI is a 4-session group format parent training in stress management and being in the moment to support emotional availability to children

University of DelawareO Intervention Name: Promoting First Relationships

(PFR)O Intervention Developers: Kelly, Zuckerman, Sandoval,

Buehlman)O Population: 45% African American; 35%

Hispanic/Latino; 15% WhiteO Location: DelawareO Intervention components:

O 10 sessions, videotaped feedback, strengths based, focused on 5 components (offering love and attention every day; responding with empathy and understanding; providing comfort when upset; offering a predictable world; and promoting play and exploration

University of DenverO Intervention Name: Filming Interactions to Nurture

DevelopmentO Intervention Developer: Phillip FisherO Population: 60% immigrant families; majority

Hispanic familiesO Location: Denver metro areaO Intervention components:

O Video-coaching method; 10 sessions; strengths-based; uses micro interactions and very short clips to illustrate them; works on 5 building competencies (sharing the focus of attention; supporting and encouraging; naming; back and forth; endings and beginning)

University of MarylandO Intervention Name: Attachment &

Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC)O Intervention Developer: Dozier O Population: O Location: MarylandO Intervention components:

O Videotaped, uses highly trained coaches, near continuous “in-the-moment” coaching feedback, focuses on nurturance, following the child’s lead, and non-frightening caregiving behavior

University of Washington

O Intervention Name: Incredible Years Toddler Basic Parenting Program (IYT)

O Intervention Developer: Webster-Stratton, Reinke, & Herman

O Population: O Location: Youth in Need sample drawn from

urban, suburban, & rural MissouriO Intervention components:

O 4-8 sessions depending on child age; emphasis on child-directed play, emotion “coaching,” praise and encouragement, management of common early childhood tasks, and parental self-control

Shared Intervention Components

O Careful assessment of family characteristics

O Attachment/positive parenting focusO Theoretically groundedO Most are relatively short

interventions (4-16 weeks)O Most include videotapingO Most involve coaching

Differing Intervention Components

O Strengths based only vs. strengths based and corrective

O Who delivers the intervention (EHS providers, outside coaches etc.)

O Level of training needed for interventionists

O Sample sizes and populations servedO Type of control or comparison groupO Study location

BTS Consortium Timeframe

O $12,000,000 awarded in September, 2011

O Study length: 5 yearsO Expected conclusion date: August

2016O First data available: 2014O Complete data available: 2017