Improving Father-Child and Father-Partner Relationships Among Black and Hispanic Fathers

June 2, 2025 updated by: Julie Cederbaum, University of Southern California

Improving Father-Child and Father-Partner Relationships Through the Evaluation of the 24/7 Dads Intervention With Black and Hispanic Fathers

Fathers play a unique role in the lives of children, with high quality interactions found to improve a child's executive functioning and general school achievement. Father involvement also has positive impacts on fathers themselves, with more involved fathers reporting more self-confidence in their parenting, more satisfaction with parenting, demonstration of more maturity, and reports of less psychosocial distress. However, poverty can have a negative association with fathers parenting and child outcomes, though paternal warmth can mediate this relationship. Children's Institute Inc will recruit and implement the 24/7 Dad program which is designed to provide a comprehensive evidenced-based fatherhood program that builds and strengthens father-child relationships. The curriculum for the primary workshops will be the 24/7 Dad curriculum, which addresses both the responsible parenting and healthy relationship areas in this project. A quasi-experimental interrupted time series (ITS) design allows for a continuous sequence of observations on a population, taken repeatedly over time.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Fathers play a unique role in the lives of children, with high quality interactions found to improve a child's executive functioning and general school achievement. Father involvement also has positive impacts on fathers themselves, with more involved fathers reporting more self-confidence in their parenting, more satisfaction with parenting, demonstration of more maturity, and reports of less psychosocial distress. However, poverty can have a negative association with fathers parenting and child outcomes, though paternal warmth can mediate this relationship. Children's Institute Inc will recruit and implement the 24/7 Dad program which is designed to provide a comprehensive evidenced-based fatherhood program that builds and strengthens father-child relationships. The curriculum for the primary workshops will be the 24/7 Dad curriculum, which addresses both the responsible parenting and healthy relationship areas in this project. The study will use a quasi-experimental interrupted time series (ITS) design that allows for a continuous sequence of observations on a population, taken repeatedly over time. Study aims include: (1) Does the 24/7 Dad intervention influence the behaviors of fathers of young children?; (2) Do fathers who participated in the 24/7 Dad intervention and additional post-intervention support (MIRG and/or financial literacy and job support activities) have better outcomes than those who complete 24/7 Dad only?; (3) Does trauma history and/or current mental wellbeing mediate the relationship between the 24/7 Dad intervention and father engagement, father-child relationships, and co-parenting relationships?; and (4) Does perceived discrimination influence successful outcomes of 24/7 Dad intervention participants? To test the hypotheses of Aim 1 and Aim 2, a generalized linear mixed model will be fitted to the outcome variable individually, specified for corresponding distribution. For Aim 3, investigators will use path models, special cases of structural equation modeling (SEM) with observable variables only, to test the multiple hypothesized mediating pathway.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
350

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90041
        • University of Southern California

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Program eligibility will be open to all low-income fathers age 18 years or older with children under the age of 24 years. The target geographic area will be South LA, particularly the community of Watts, however participants will not be excluded based on geography. South LA is overwhelmingly Latino (68%) and Black (27%). Close to half (48%) of all residents speak Spanish at home. Nearly all residents are very low-income. We expect our participants to reflect the community in these dimensions.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male
  • Age 18 years or older
  • Have a child under the age of 24 years
  • Speak English or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

• Unable to speak English or Spanish

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Case-Only
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Immediate Start
Investigators will use a quasi-experimental interrupted time series (ITS) design that allows for a continuous sequence of observations on a population, taken repeatedly over time (Bernal et al., 2017). ITS design provides an estimate of the causal effect of a discrete intervention; the design begins with measurements on a dependent variable and the intervention breaks ("interrupts") this time series into preintervention and post-intervention time points. Data will be collected from two group an "Immediate Start Group" and a "Delayed Start Group" (who will serve as a control group for the ITS design).
Behavioral: 24/7 Dad
The 24/7 Dad curriculum is an evidence-based, skills driven curriculum (12 group sessions). The following topics are included: Family History, What it Means to Be a Man, Showing and Handling Feelings, Men's Health, Communication, The Father's Role, Discipline, Children's Growth, Getting Involved, Working with & Co-Parenting, Dads and Work, and the "My 24/7Dad Checklist". Healthy Relationship topics include: Communication Skills, including expression, discussion, and negotiation skills; Conflict Resolution and Anger Management; Problem-Solving; and Knowledge of the Benefits of Marriage. Responsible Parenting areas of focus include: children's growth/development; non-violent discipline; co-parenting; building conflict resolutions skills (for the child and the family); and, enhancing family relationships.
Delayed-Start
Investigators will use a quasi-experimental interrupted time series (ITS) design that allows for a continuous sequence of observations on a population, taken repeatedly over time (Bernal et al., 2017). ITS design provides an estimate of the causal effect of a discrete intervention; the design begins with measurements on a dependent variable and the intervention breaks ("interrupts") this time series into preintervention and post-intervention time points. Data will be collected from two group an "Immediate Start Group" and a "Delayed Start Group" (who will serve as a control group for the ITS design).
Behavioral: 24/7 Dad
The 24/7 Dad curriculum is an evidence-based, skills driven curriculum (12 group sessions). The following topics are included: Family History, What it Means to Be a Man, Showing and Handling Feelings, Men's Health, Communication, The Father's Role, Discipline, Children's Growth, Getting Involved, Working with & Co-Parenting, Dads and Work, and the "My 24/7Dad Checklist". Healthy Relationship topics include: Communication Skills, including expression, discussion, and negotiation skills; Conflict Resolution and Anger Management; Problem-Solving; and Knowledge of the Benefits of Marriage. Responsible Parenting areas of focus include: children's growth/development; non-violent discipline; co-parenting; building conflict resolutions skills (for the child and the family); and, enhancing family relationships.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Father Engagement with Child
Time Frame: 3 months
Father Engagement Scale (Dyer et al. 2018). 10-item questionnaire measuring interactions between fathers and children
3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Relationship Conflict
Time Frame: 3 months
Continuum of Conflict and Control Relationship Scale (Carlson et al., 2017). 20-item scale that identifies variance in relationship IPV, relationship distress, and individual distress
3 months
Father-Child Relationship
Time Frame: 3 month
Child-Parent Relationship Scale - Short Form (Driscoll & Pianta, 2011). 15-item measure of conflict and closeness between fathers and children.
3 month
Father Relationship with Co-Parent
Time Frame: 3 months
Co-Parenting relationship scale (Dyer, Fagan, Kaufman, Pearson, & Cabrera, 2015). 11-item scale aimed at describing the way the father and mother work together as co-parents
3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Southern California

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Children's Bureau - Administration for Children and Families
The Children's Institute

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Julie A Cederbaum, PhD, University of Southern California

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 15, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 16, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 17, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 31, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 5, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 2, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UP-21-00532

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

All data will be shared using a unique identifier; no identifying data will be shared

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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