Effects of Attachment-Based Intervention on Low-Income Latino Children's Emerging Health Outcomes

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of an attachment-based intervention called Attachment Biobehavioral Catch-Up (ABC) compared to a Home Book-of-the-Week (HBOW) program on health outcomes in low-income Latino children aged about 9 months at enrollment. This randomized controlled trial aims to understand if ABC can improve common childhood illnesses, body mass index, and sleep patterns in these children. The study also explores how maternal sensitivity and child stress regulation may influence these effects and how cultural factors might change the intervention's impact. The study involves 260 infants and toddlers with mothers who identify as Latina and speak English or Spanish. Participants are randomly assigned to either the ABC program, which consists of 10 weekly one-hour home sessions with a trained parent coach focusing on parenting skills, or the HBOW program, where mothers receive 10 age-appropriate books weekly along with brief visits from a research assistant to discuss well-being. Both programs last about 10 weeks, with the ABC involving more intensive coaching and interaction than HBOW. Parents and children will participate for approximately 15 months, including initial assessments, the 10-week intervention, and two follow-up assessments at 15 and 24 months of age. Researchers will collect data on common childhood illnesses, rapid weight gain, expressive speech delay, inflammation, body mass index, and sleep at three time points. The study uses surveys, observations, and recordings to measure outcomes and monitors safety and adherence throughout. The findings aim to improve preventive approaches to reduce health disparities among Latino families.

Partners in Children's Health (CSN): A Randomized Trial of an Attachment Based Intervention