Prevention of Attachment Insecurity, Physiological Dysregulation, and Child Behavior Problems in Early Head Start Families

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating an intervention called the Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) program to support secure attachment, healthy physiological regulation, and reduce behavior problems in young children. This randomized controlled trial involves 249 parent-child pairs from Early Head Start programs, focusing on early childhood development and parent-child relationships. The study compares COS-P to a literacy-focused home visiting program called Little Talks. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups: one receiving the COS-P intervention, which consists of eight 90-minute home sessions focused on attachment-based parenting strategies, and the other receiving the Little Talks intervention, an eight-session home visiting program promoting early literacy through book sharing. Both programs aim to be practical and suitable for diverse families. Throughout the study, children and parents are assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and six months later. These assessments include observing child attachment behaviors, stress hormone levels, child behavior checklists, parental responses, physiological measures, and various questionnaires about family stress and child temperament. The study also monitors parental emotional responses and child social-emotional development to understand intervention impacts over time.

Hands and Hearts Together