Easterbrooks, M. A., Fauth, R. C., Menon, M., Stargel, L. E., & Kotake, C. (n.d.). The Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation Phase 2 (MHFE-2): Time 6 summary report. Tufts Interdisciplinary Evaluation Research, Tufts University.
| Screening decision | Screening conclusion | HomVEE procedures and standards version |
|---|---|---|
| Passes screens | Eligible for review | Version 1 |
| Rating | Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Compromised randomization | Confounding factors | Valid, reliable measure(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Randomized controlled trial | High | Established on race/ethnicity and SES; outcomes not feasible to assess at baseline | None | None | Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed before 2021 |
In addition to the findings that received moderate ratings, 17 findings in the Maternal Health and Family Economic Self-Sufficiency domains received low ratings because the outcomes were assessable at baseline but were not included as controls in the statistical models that produced the study estimates.
| Study participants | The program enrolled participants during pregnancy or as new parents and they were eligible if they were English- or Spanish-speaking females, at least 16 years old, and had not previously received the home visiting program services. Recruitment ended in 2008 and 2009. This study reported follow-up results at 8 years after enrollment, when children were 7.5 years old on average. Maternal age at enrollment was 18.7 years on average. The full study sample was 36 percent Hispanic; 35 percent White, non-Hispanic; and 23 percent Black, non-Hispanic. Of sample members at the time of enrollment, 42 percent had a high school diploma or GED, 25 percent were currently employed, 18 percent had received state cash assistance, and 16 percent had received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. |
|---|---|
| Setting | Massachusetts |
| Intervention services | Healthy Families Massachusetts offers its program to new parents from pregnancy through when the child turns 3 years old. The program offers in-home visits and health screenings, screenings for developmental milestones, and referrals for additional supportive services. The goals of Healthy Families Massachusetts include child abuse prevention; healthy childhood growth and development; and support for parents to promote health, well-being, education attainment, and job and life skills. An additional goal of the program is to promote mothers’ ability to navigate the preschool and elementary school systems as their children grow. |
| Comparison conditions | The comparison condition received only referrals and information. |
| Subgroups examined |
This field lists subgroups examined in the manuscript (even if they were not replicated in other samples and not reported on the summary page for this model’s report). Subgroups are not listed for manuscripts reviewed before 2021. |
| Funding sources | Children's Trust Massachusetts and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Grant Program (grant no. X10MC29474). |
| Author affiliation | The authors are affiliated with Tufts University and the study was conducted by the Children's Trust. The authors are not affiliated with the developer or distributer of Healthy Families America. |
| Peer reviewed | Peer reviewed status is not listed for manuscripts reviewed before 2021. |
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01926223. Study registration was assessed by HomVEE beginning with the 2014 review.
Findings that rate moderate or high
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Child has IEP or 504 plan |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
370 children | Unadjusted proportion = 0.27 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.30 | Mean difference = -0.02 | HomVEE calculated = -0.07 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
|
| Moderate | Child in afterschool program |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
368 children | Adjusted proportion = 0.55 | Adjusted proportion = 0.42 | Odds ratio = 1.71 | HomVEE calculated = 0.32 | Statistically significant, p <.05 |
HomVEE calculated the effect size based on the study-reported odds ratio. |
| Moderate | Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - externalizing |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
366 children | Unadjusted mean = 5.58 | Unadjusted mean = 5.60 | Mean difference = -0.02 | HomVEE calculated = -0.01 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Moderate | Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - internalizing |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
360 children | Unadjusted mean = 3.48 | Unadjusted mean = 3.51 | Mean difference = -0.03 | HomVEE calculated = -0.01 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Asthma (diagnosed past year) |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
384 children | Adjusted proportion = 0.07 | Adjusted proportion = 0.14 | Odds ratio = 0.46 | HomVEE calculated = -0.47 | Statistically significant, p <.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. HomVEE calculated the effect size based on the study-reported odds ratio. |
| Moderate | Child had dental visit (past year) |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
379 children | Unadjusted proportion = 0.95 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.98 | Mean difference = -0.03 | HomVEE calculated = -0.60 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
|
| Moderate | Child had well visit (past year) |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
383 children | Unadjusted proportion = 0.99 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.99 | Mean difference = 0.00 | HomVEE calculated = 0.00 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
|
| Moderate | Child visited emergency room (past year) |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
383 children | Unadjusted proportion = 0.27 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.24 | Mean difference = 0.03 | HomVEE calculated = 0.11 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Moderate | Obesity/overweight (past year) |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
384 children | Unadjusted proportion = 0.05 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.05 | Mean difference = 0.01 | HomVEE calculated = 0.08 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Moderate | Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - physical functioning |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
381 children | Adjusted mean = 93.91 | Adjusted mean = 91.91 | Mean difference = 2.00 | Study reported = 0.20 | Statistically significant, p <.05 |
Effect size is the Cohen's d |
| Moderate | Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - school functioning |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
383 children | Unadjusted mean = 78.24 | Unadjusted mean = 78.06 | Mean difference = 0.18 | HomVEE calculated = 0.01 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Parenting Stress Index - difficult child |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
380 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 24.14 | Unadjusted mean = 25.97 | Mean difference = -1.83 | HomVEE calculated = -0.24 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Moderate | Parenting Stress Index - parental child-dysfunctional interaction |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
380 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 18.38 | Unadjusted mean = 19.71 | Mean difference = -1.33 | HomVEE calculated = -0.22 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Moderate | Parenting Stress Index - parental distress |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
379 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 24.41 | Unadjusted mean = 26.32 | Mean difference = -1.91 | HomVEE calculated = -0.22 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Family Involvement Questionnaire - Home-Based Involvement |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
373 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 22.16 | Unadjusted mean = 21.74 | Mean difference = 0.42 | HomVEE calculated = 0.10 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
|
| Moderate | Family Involvement Questionnaire - Home-School Conferencing |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
388 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 20.18 | Unadjusted mean = 19.34 | Mean difference = 0.84 | HomVEE calculated = 0.14 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
|
| Moderate | Family Involvement Questionnaire: School-Based Involvement |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
341 mothers | Unadjusted mean = 13.30 | Unadjusted mean = 13.28 | Mean difference = 0.02 | HomVEE calculated = 0.00 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
| Rating | Outcome measure | Effect | Sample | Timing of follow-up | Sample size | Intervention group | Comparison group | Group difference | Effect size | Statistical significance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Permanent custody loss |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
408 mother/child dyads | Unadjusted proportion = 0.03 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.02 | Mean difference = 0.01 | HomVEE calculated = 0.17 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |
| Moderate | Substantiated child maltreatment reports |
FavorableUnfavorable or ambiguousNo Effect |
HFM vs. comparison, Massachusetts Healthy Families Evaluation 2 (MHFE -2), Tier 6 full sample |
8 years |
408 mother/child dyads | Unadjusted proportion = 0.36 | Unadjusted proportion = 0.39 | Mean difference = -0.03 | HomVEE calculated = -0.09 | Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 |
Negative effect is favorable to the intervention. |