Evidence-based model
MIECHV eligible
Released in 1979 through 2024
Impact studies rated high or moderate quality
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Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up—Infant (ABC-Infant) serves caregivers of infants ages 6 to 24 months. This includes caregivers of children who have experienced, or are at heightened risk for experiencing, early adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, disruptions in caregiving, housing instability, domestic violence, poverty, and/or parental mental health concerns or substance use. Parent coaches conduct 10 weekly home visits lasting about 60 minutes each. The model is designed to help caregivers (1) provide nurturing care, (2) follow children’s lead with delight, and (3) decrease behaviors that are frightening or overwhelming to children. Parent coaches provide immediate feedback (referred to as "in-the-moment" comments) on the caregiver’s interaction with the child to help the caregiver notice and respond to the target behaviors. During visits, the parent coach and caregiver watch videos of the caregiver interacting with the child. The parent coach highlights the caregiver’s strengths, celebrates changes in behavior, and identifies areas for improvement.
Related Models:
Where to find out more
ABC Parenting Institute
1 Chestnut Hill Plaza, #1388, Newark, DE 19713
This model meets criteria established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for an evidence-based home visiting model.
Does not meet criteria for an evidence-based home visiting model for Indigenous peoples and communities.
For more information about manuscripts, search the research database.
For more information on the criteria used to rate research, please see details of HomVEEʼs methods and standards.
Released in 1979 through 2024
Eligible for review
Impact studies rated high or moderate quality
To see details on each manuscript HomVEE reviewed in well-designed research, click on the manuscript counts in the table.
Favorable:
A finding showing a statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction that is beneficial for children and parents.
No effect:
Findings are not statistically significant.
Unfavorable:
A finding showing a statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction that may indicate potential harm to children and/or parents.
Ambiguous findings are excluded from this table. An ambiguous finding is a statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction that is not clearly beneficial for or potentially harmful to children and/or parents.
| Outcomes | Manuscripts | Favorable Findings | No Effects Findings | Unfavorable Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development and School Readiness | View 7 Manuscripts | 8 | 11 | 0 |
| Child Health | View 1 Manuscript | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Family Economic Self-Sufficiency | Not measured | - | - | - |
| Linkages and Referrals | Not measured | - | - | - |
| Maternal Health | View 1 Manuscript | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Positive Parenting Practices | View 9 Manuscripts | 13 | 15 | 0 |
| Reductions In Child Maltreatment | Not measured | - | - | - |
| Reductions in Juvenile Delinquency, Family Violence, and Crime | Not measured | - | - | - |
Well-designed impact studies about this model were conducted in the following locations:
In this section:
Support Availability
Service Delivery
Model services, adaptions and enhancements, model intensity and length.
Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up—Infant (ABC-Infant) was developed in 1996 and is based on attachment theory and stress neurobiology. ABC-Infant was originally called the ABC Intervention. The developer renamed the model ABC-Infant after creating an adapted version of the model for toddlers called ABC-Early Childhood (linked below under "Related Models").
ABC-Infant serves caregivers of infants ages 6 to 24 months, including caregivers of children who have experienced, or are at heightened risk for experiencing early adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, disruptions in caregiving, housing instability, domestic violence, poverty, and/or parental mental health concerns or substance use.
ABC-Infant aims to improve positive parenting practices by helping caregivers:
Highlights
ABC-Infant was developed by Mary Dozier, Ph.D., and the Infant Caregiver Project at the University of Delaware. National and international implementation support is available through the ABC Parenting Institute, which is led by Dr. Dozier.
The ABC Parenting Institute provides ongoing consultation, quality assurance, technical assistance, and program evaluation services as requested.
Highlights
ABC-Infant is designed to be delivered by a parent coach in the family’s home or a residential facility, such as a homeless shelter. Parent coaches can also deliver the intervention virtually upon request by the family or if in-person services are not possible.
The curriculum is designed to outline the focus for each session.
Throughout the home visiting session, the parent coach comments on the caregiver’s interactions to help the caregiver increase target behaviors, including using nurturing and calming behaviors and following the child’s lead with delight. Additionally, the caregiver is encouraged to notice and respond to the child’s signals to decrease overwhelming or frightening behaviors.
The parent coach and caregiver also watch video clips of the caregiver demonstrating ABC target behaviors to highlight their strengths and celebrate change over the course of the program.
Home visiting requirements
ABC-Infant is delivered in weekly sessions lasting about 60 minutes each.
Service duration
ABC-Infant is a 10-week program.
Additional requirements
There are no additional requirements for ABC-Infant service delivery.
ABC can be used to serve infants younger than 6 months. ABC can be culturally adapted by maintaining the core components of the model but modifying the language, examples used, and certain activities. Any modifications must be approved by ABC Parenting Institute and/or developed in partnership with ABC Parenting Institute. For more information about cultural adaptations, please consult with the model developer.
Named Enhancements
ABC recognizes the following enhanced versions of the model:
In partnership with Dolores Bigfoot, Ph.D., ABC is developing guidelines for implementing ABC-Infant with American Indian communities. These guidelines have not yet been applied at community sites or with partners.
Related Models:
Highlights
Education and supervisory requirements
Staff. ABC-Infant is implemented by parent coaches who conduct home visits. Parent coaches are supervised by clinical supervisors and fidelity supervisors who ensure adherence to ABC’s in-the-moment fidelity standards (described further under “Supervision” below).
Education and experience. There are no education or experience requirements for the parent coaches. However, all prospective parent coaches must pass a screening process that involves a 30- to 60-minute video interview with ABC Parenting Institute staff. The purpose of the interview is to assess the prospective trainee’s openness to attachment theory, their ability to provide in-the-moment comments about caregiver-child behavior, and their agencies’ readiness for implementation. Parent coaches are considered trainees until they become certified following a six (or more)-month supervision period and assessment of their adherence and fidelity to the model.
Supervision. The initial supervision period is typically six months but can be extended if the trainee is learning more than one ABC model. During the supervision period, parent coach trainees must participate in two ongoing virtual supervision meetings with the ABC Parenting Institute (or their local agency, if it has a trained and certified supervisor on staff). These meetings are explained below:
Ongoing supervision is recommended but not required after parent coaches complete the certification process. The ABC Parenting Institute can provide ongoing clinical or in-the-moment supervision for quality assurance.
Training and professional development
Pre-Service Training. The model requires parent coaches to participate in pre-service training. Parent coach trainees must attend a two-day in-person or three half-days of virtual pre-service training. The program development team offers the training virtually each month.
Supervisor Training. Fidelity and clinical supervisors must be certified ABC parent coaches and participate in training provided by the ABC Parenting Institute. Fidelity supervisors must participate in eight to 10 weeks of training. Clinical supervisors must participate in six to 12 months of training.
Ongoing Professional Development. ABC-Infant requires that, every two years, parent coaches view a webinar and complete a quiz that assesses adherence and fidelity to the model to be re-certified as an ABC-Infant parent coach. Supervisors participate in ongoing professional development.
There are currently no requirements about the type or characteristics of organizations that can implement ABC-Infant. The model is primarily implemented by agencies that conduct home visits with caregivers of children who have experienced, or are at heightened risk for experiencing, early adverse childhood experiences such as abuse, neglect, disruptions in caregiving, housing instability, domestic violence, poverty, and/or parental mental health concerns or substance use.
ABC-Infant requires parent coaches to adhere to ongoing fidelity guidelines. Please contact the model developer for additional information about these guidelines.
Highlights
HomVEE requests input and feedback from the model developers on their profiles. The information in this implementation profile reflects feedback, if provided, from this model’s developer. HomVEE reserves the right to edit the profile for clarity and consistency. The description of the implementation of the model here may differ from how the model was implemented in the manuscripts reviewed to determine this model’s evidence of effectiveness. Model developers are encouraged to notify HomVEE of any changes to their contact information on this page.