Foster Teens' Risk During Transition

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized effectiveness trial to determine whether adding a preventive intervention at the transition from elementary to middle school is effective and cost effective in terms of ameliorating outcomes such as drug and tobacco use, participation in HIV- risking sexual behavior, delinquency, mental health problems, and school failure for young adolescents in foster care. The proposed LINKS intervention marries the goals of child welfare and educational systems. The aims are: a) to determine the effectiveness of the LINKS intervention on key behavioral health and school adjustment outcomes, b) to examine mechanisms of action; specifically the mediating effects of placement failure on outcomes, c) to examine the moderating role of fidelity on outcomes, and d) to examine cost effectiveness and cost avoidance of LINKS.

Official Title
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Foster Teens' Risk During Transition: Preventing Drug Use, HIV, & School Problems

Conditions
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School Adjustment, Foster Care Disruptions

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: LINKS


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: the focal youth will be transitioning into middle school the focal youth is in either a foster or kinship care home the focal youth has been in the home for a minimum of 30 days (including those who are newly placed in care and those moving from another type of placement). Exclusion Criteria: youth who are are considered medically fragile (i.e., severely physically or mentally handicapped)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 9 Years
Maximum Age: 13 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: LINKS<br>Foster parent and child participate in 16-week intervention | Behavioral: LINKS<br>* In the LINKS, foster/kin parents will participate in weekly group meetings led by well-trained and supervised paraprofessional facilitators (school behavioral aids and foster parents) where the curriculum is based on parent management training (PMT). In previous studies, attendance at such groups has been high, averaging about 75-80%. Missed sessions will be made up with an in-person visit to the foster/kin home during the week of the original session. In addition, youth in the intervention condition will receive individual skill building sessions from a Life Skills Coach to increase their competency at goal setting, refusal skills, and peer relations.<br>|
| No Intervention: Services as Usual<br>Foster parent and child receive standard services through child welfare system | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of Placement Failures |  | between Baseline and 18-Months later | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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foster care, school adjustment