PRESERVE & CONNECT: Impact Study of the BPC ((BPC))

Randomized Control Trial of the Breakthrough Parenting Curriculum: Transforming Trauma Across Generations

The PRESERVE & CONNECT project is a multi-site randomized control trial of the Breakthrough Parenting Curriculum: Navigating Trauma Across Generations (BPC) in rural and racially and ethnically diverse communities in Vermont and Connecticut.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Trauma; Child Maltreatment
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Breakthrough Parenting Curriculum: Transforming trauma across generations

Detailed Description

The proposed study will determine the efficacy of the BPC at improving the lives of families with a significant history of trauma and establish the evidence base to allow the BPC to be listed on the Title IV-E Clearing House. The specific research questions that will be answered as are as follows:

Question 1: Does the BPC improve Child Safety? Hypothesis 1a: Parents who complete the BPC will have fewer substantiated of child maltreatment as per administrative records.

Hypothesis 1b: Parents who complete the BPC will report less psychologically aggressive and abusive parenting behaviors (Parenting Scale).

Question 2: Does the BPC improve Child Permanency? Hypothesis 2a: Parents who complete the BPC will have fewer out of family placements and placement disruptions as per administrative records.

Hypothesis 2b: Parents who complete the BPC will have stability or permanency with their family of origin as per administrative records.

Question 3: Does the BPC improve Child Well-Being? Hypothesis 3: Parents who complete the BPC will report improved behavioral and emotional functioning of their children (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire).

Question 4: Does the BPC improve Adult Well-Being? Hypothesis 4a: Parents who complete the BPC will report improved use of parenting practices to improve the functional relationship with their children (Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale; Parent Stress Index, Parent-Child Relationship Scales).

Hypothesis 4b: Parents who complete the BPC will report improved understanding of the influence of trauma on their parenting behaviors and wellness (Trauma-Informed Knowledge and Parenting Skills Survey).

Question 5: Are the improvements of the BPC associated with demographic factors? Exploratory Analysis 5a: Examine the association between measures of child safety, child well-being, child permanency, and adult well-being and measures of acculturation.

Exploratory Analysis 5a: Examine the association between measures of child safety, child well-being, child permanency, and adult well-being and measures of acculturation

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 240
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Connecticut
    • Hartford, Connecticut, United States, 06103
      • Recruiting
      • University of Connecticut
      • Contact: Jon Philips; Phone Number: (959) 200-3600; Email: jon.phillips@uconn.edu
  • Vermont
    • Burlington, Vermont, United States, 05401
      • Recruiting
      • University of Vermont
      • Contact: Jessica Strolin (Goltzman); Phone Number: 8028603173; Email: Jessica.Strolin@uvm.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Parents involved in, or at risk of involvement in, the child welfare system.

Exclusion Criteria:

• active psychosis without medication stabilization
• ongoing major depressive episodes
• active suicidal ideation
• active homicidal ideation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Treatment as usual
Experimental: BPC	Behavioral: Breakthrough Parenting Curriculum: Transforming trauma across generations; The BPC (Breakthrough Parent Curriculum): Navigating Trauma Across Generations is a 10 module course adapted from the NCTSN training called Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Workshop for Resource Parents (RPC). The BPC is specifically designed for parents who have been involved with (or are at risk for being involved with)the child welfare system. The course provides information about the impact of trauma on the development, attachment, emotions and behaviors of children while holding space for parents to learn together about concrete strategies for managing daily and ongoing challenges and enhancing their relationships with their children. All while acknowledging the challenges of parenting a child who has experienced trauma, while having experienced your own trauma.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Child Safety	substantiated reports of child maltreatment as per administrative records	up to 6 months
Child Permanency	out of family placements and placement disruptions as per administrative records. Total amount of each type of placement.	up to 6 months
Child Well-being	behavioral and emotional functioning of their children (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire).	10 weeks
Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale	Scores range from 0-160. Higher scores indicate more self efficacy	10 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Parental Stress Index	Parent Stress Index Self-Report Measure	10 weeks
Trauma-Informed Knowledge and Parenting Skills Survey	understanding of the influence of trauma on their parenting behaviors and wellness	10 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Vermont
• Collaborators: University of Connecticut

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 20, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 23, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 28, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): December 7, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 17, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 14, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2648

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

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