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