Manuscript Details

DuMont, K., Mitchell-Herzfeld, S., Greene, R., Lee, E., Lowenfels, A., Rodriguez, M., et al. (2008). Healthy Families New York (HFNY) randomized trial: Effects on early child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 32(3), 295–315.

Additional Source(s)

DuMont, K., Mitchell-Herzfeld, S., Greene, R., Lee, E., Lowenfels, A., & Rodriguez, M. (2006). Healthy Families New York (HFNY)  Randomized trial: Impacts on parenting after the first two years. Unpublished manuscript.

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High rating
Study reviewed under: Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 1
Screening Conclusion

Eligible for review

Author Affiliation

None of the study authors are developers of this model.

Funding Sources

US Department of Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau (grant #90CW1105).

Study Design
Design Attrition Baseline equivalence Confounding factors Valid, reliable measures?
Randomized controlled trial Low

Established on race/ethnicity, SES, and several baseline measures of prior abuse, neglect, and maltreatment.

None

Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed under Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 1

Findings that rate moderate or high in this manuscript

Reductions In Child Maltreatment
Outcome Measure Timing of Follow-Up Rating Direction of Effect Effect Size (Absolute Value) Stastical Significance Sample Size Sample Description
Frequency of harsh parenting in the past week (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Statistically significant,p < 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of harsh parenting in the past week (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of minor physical aggression (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Statistically significant,p < 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of minor physical aggression (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of neglect (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of neglect (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of psychological aggression (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Statistically significant,p < 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of psychological aggression (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of serious abuse and neglect (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of serious abuse and neglect (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Statistically significant,p < 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of very serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Statistically significant,p < 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Frequency of very serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Harsh parenting in the past week (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Harsh parenting in the past week (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Minor physical aggression (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Minor physical aggression (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Neglect (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Neglect (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Number of substantiated abuse or neglect reports Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Number of substantiated abuse or neglect reports Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Psychological aggression (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Psychological aggression (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Serious abuse and neglect (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Serious abuse and neglect (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Substantiated abuse or neglect report Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Substantiated abuse or neglect report Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Very serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 1 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 1060 families Full sample, NY Trial
Very serious physical abuse (CTS-PC) Year 2 High
Not statistically significant, p ≥ 0.05 992 families Full sample, NY Trial
Effect rating key
Favorable finding / Statistically significant
Unfavorable finding / Statistically significant
Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant
No effect / Not statistically significant

This study included participants with the following characteristics at enrollment:

Race/Ethnicity

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if Hispanic ethnicity was reported separately or respondents could select two or more race or ethnicity categories.

Black or African American
45%
Hispanic or Latino
18%
White
34%
Unknown
2%

Maternal Education

Less than a high school diploma
53%
High school diploma or GED
47%

Other Characteristics

Enrollment in means-tested programs
29%

This study included participants from the following locations:

  • New York
Study Participants

Recruitment for the randomized controlled trial of Healthy Families New York (HFNY) occurred between March 2000 and August 2001. Pregnant women or parents with an infant 3 months of age or younger who were found to be at risk for child abuse or neglect and lived in communities with high rates of teen pregnancy, infant mortality, welfare receipt, and low rates of prenatal care, were referred to HFNY. Consenting families were screened using the Kempe Family Stress Checklist (FSC); 1,297 eligible families who received scores of 25 or higher on the FSC were randomly assigned to the program group (n = 647) or the comparison group (n = 650). 1,173 mothers completed a baseline interview (579 in the program group and 594 in the comparison group). Of those who completed baseline interviews, 45.4% were African American (non-Latina), 18.0% were Latina, and 34.4% were White (non-Latina). On average, the mothers were 22.5 years of age, and 29.2% of the families were receiving welfare. This study reports on the results from the year 1 and year 2 follow-ups of HFNY. At year 1, 1,060 families completed a follow-up interview, and at year 2, 992 families were interviewed. 971 families completed both follow-ups.

Setting

Three Healthy Families New York sites were included in the study: Erie, Rensselaer, and Ulster counties. Erie serves primarily African American and Latino families in inner-city neighborhoods in Buffalo. Rensselaer and Ulster counties include urban, suburban, and rural locations; both serve largely White families, but with a substantial African American population in Rensselaer and Latino population in Ulster (Mitchell-Herzfeld, 2005).

Intervention condition
Comparison Conditions

Members of the control group received information about and referrals to other community services, though they were not referred to home visiting services that were similar to HFNY.

Were any subgroups examined?
No
Subgroups examined

• Maternal age and parity (primiparous and age less than 20 years) • Mother has psychological vulnerability (yes or no)