title: A randomized controlled trial of Child FIRST: a comprehensive home-based intervention translating research into early childhood practice.
abstract: This randomized, controlled trial was designed to document the effectiveness of Child FIRST (Child and Family Interagency, Resource, Support, and Training), a home-based, psychotherapeutic, parent-child intervention embedded in a system of care. Multirisk urban mothers and children, ages 6-36 months (N = 157) participated. At the 12-month follow-up, Child FIRST children had improved language (odds ratio [OR] = 4.4) and externalizing symptoms (OR= 4.7) compared to Usual Care children. Child FIRST mothers had less parenting stress at the 6-month follow-up (OR = 3.0), lower psychopathology symptoms at 12-month follow-up (OR = 4.0), and less protective service involvement at 3 years postbaseline (OR = 2.1) relative to Usual Care mothers. Intervention families accessed 91% of wanted services relative to 33% among Usual Care. Thus, Child FIRST is effective with multirisk families raising young children across multiple child and parent outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Bridgeport Hospital and Yale University School of Medicine University of Massachusetts Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Darcy I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Lowell
authors.forename: Alice S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Leandra
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paulicin
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Briggs-Gowan
mesh_terms: D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care; D004493:Education; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006699:Home Care Services; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D014481:United States