Preventing Revictimization Through a Web-Based Intervention for Primary Caregivers of Youth in Care (EMPOWERYOU): Protocol for a Randomized Factorial Trial

Nina Heinrichs, Antonia Brühl, Nina Heinrichs, Antonia Brühl

Abstract

Background: Children in foster care are at a higher risk for relationship problems than their counterparts raised by their biological family because of higher exposure to or prevalence of neglect or maltreatment early in life. Consequently, these children may also show more challenging behavior in their foster families, which in turn increases the parental stress experience of foster caregivers. Furthermore, the children may engage in a vicious cycle of risky relationship behaviors and expectations that put them at a greater risk for revictimization.

Objective: To support foster caregivers in reducing the risk for revictimization, several intervention modules delivered via the internet were developed using a consumer-based approach (phase 1 of the multiphase optimization strategy). This project (phase 2 of the multiphase optimization strategy) aimed to develop a sustainable intervention by selecting promising intervention components based on their contribution to the outcome.

Methods: In a 24 factorial trial, a total of 317 foster caregivers with children aged 8 to 13 years are randomly assigned to 1 of 16 conditions. The primary outcome is the rate of revictimization from baseline to 3 months after intervention. Secondary outcomes include risk-taking and functional behaviors in relationships. All caregivers will receive access to all the intervention components after the follow-up assessment. The participants assigned to the condition with all component levels on are expected to show the best improvement in the primary and secondary outcomes.

Results: Recruitment and data collection for the factorial trial started in March 2022 and is ongoing. As of October 2022, we recruited 181 families. Although it is difficult to predict the exact study timeline owing to COVID-19 pandemic-related delays, results are expected in February 2024.

Conclusions: There is a need for easily accessible information related to raising children in foster care who have experienced early life adversities to interrupt the cycle of violence and enhance the developmental pathway of health and emotional stability. It might be useful, in addition to generally useful parenting information (eg, parental self-care or emotion regulation management), to specifically focus on the needs of these caregivers (eg, how to support the child to reduce dysfunctional relationship behaviors that may have developed because of early adverse experiences).

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05235659; https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT05235659.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/38183.

Keywords: foster children; multiphase optimization strategy; online intervention; parenting; revictimization; web-based intervention.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: NH and AB are the developers of the EMPOWERYOU program for primary caregivers of youth in care. NH is the principal investigator of the study and has received a research grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to conduct this work. NH is a member of the international scientific advisory board of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) and involved in a research project on the Parenting for lifelong Health program (PLH). She has expertise in cognitive behavior therapy and has received training in the Triple P, Paarlife, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.

©Nina Heinrichs, Antonia Brühl. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 24.10.2022.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Conceptual model of the EMPOWERYOU intervention for primary caregivers of youth in care.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Website of the EMPOWERYOU program for caregivers.
Figure 3
Figure 3
CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) flowchart for EMPOWERYOU Subproject 4.

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