Black or African American
19%
Jacobs, F., Easterbrooks, M. A., Goldberg, J., Mistry, J., Bumgarner, E., Raskin, M., Fosse, N., & Fauth, R. (2015). Improving adolescent parenting: Results from a randomized controlled trial of a home visiting program for young families. American Journal of Public Health, published online ahead of print, e1-e7.
Model(s): Healthy Families America (HFA)®
Study Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov
Study design characteristics contributing to rating
| Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Confounding factors? | Valid, reliable measures? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randomized controlled trial | Low |
Baseline equivalence is not established on race/ethnicity, SES, or baseline measures of the outcomes; some outcomes were not feasible to assess at baseline. |
None |
Not assessed in manuscripts reviewed under Handbook of Procedures and Standards, Version 1 |
Notes from the review of this manuscript
In addition to the outcomes that rated moderate, several outcomes in this study rated low: corporal punishment at 1 and 2 years, parenting stress measures at 1 and 2 years, healthy baby, child behavior problems, high school diploma or equivalent at 1 year, completed at least 1 year of college at 1 year, employment at 1 and 2 years, use of hormonal birth control at 1 and 2 years, use of condoms at 1 and 2 years, engagement in risky behavior, marijuana use, intimate partner violence (self-perpetrated) at 1 and 2 years, and intimate partner violence (perpetrated by partner) at 1 and 2 years. These outcomes rated low because they had high attrition and baseline equivalence was not established on race/ethnicity or SES. Information on attrition and baseline equivalence was based on correspondence with the author.
Family Economic Self-Sufficiency
| Outcome Measure | Timing of Follow-Up | Rating | Direction of Effect | Effect Size (Absolute Value) | Stastical Significance | Sample Size | Sample Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completed at least 1 year of college - 2 years | 2 years post enrollment | Moderate | 0.39 | Statistically significant, p < 0.01 | 604 mothers | MA sample | |
| High school diploma or equivalent - 2 years | 2 years post enrollment | Moderate | 0.08 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.52 | 604 mothers | MA sample |
Maternal Health
| Outcome Measure | Timing of Follow-Up | Rating | Direction of Effect | Effect Size (Absolute Value) | Stastical Significance | Sample Size | Sample Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repeated birth | 2 years post enrollment | Moderate | 0.19 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.161 | 612 mothers | MA sample |
Reductions In Child Maltreatment
| Outcome Measure | Timing of Follow-Up | Rating | Direction of Effect | Effect Size (Absolute Value) | Stastical Significance | Sample Size | Sample Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Substantiated maltreatment (administrative data) | within 27 months post-enrollment | Moderate | 0.08 | Not statistically significant, p = 0.59 | 690 children | MA sample |
This study included participants from the following locations:
- Massachusetts
Study Participants
This is a randomized controlled trial that randomly assigned 837 women to the Healthy Families Massachusetts (HFM) program or to a control group. From the 837 randomized women, 704 mothers (517 treatment, 320 control) were recruited and completed the initial (baseline) interview and/or allowed access to administrative data. Participants were from 18 HFM sites, female, at least 16 years old, conversant in English or Spanish, new to HFM, and able to provide informed consent. Based on HFM enrollment criteria, mothers also had to be first-time parents under age 21 who enrolled while they were pregnant or during the child's first year. The full baseline sample of 704 mothers was 37 percent white non-Hispanic, 19 percent black non-Hispanic, 36 percent Hispanic, and 8 percent other; 74 percent preferred speaking in English only, 20 percent preferred English and another language, and 6 percent preferred Spanish only. Before enrollment, mothers were 19 years old, on average, and 19 percent received cash assistance, 17 percent received food assistance, 35 percent were parenting, and 4 percent had been previously reported for child maltreatment.
Setting
18 sites in Massachusetts.
Intervention condition
Note: Navigate to the model page for more information about the home visiting model. See the source manuscript for more information about how the model was implemented in this study.
Comparison Conditions
The control group received information about child development and referrals to other services.
Funding Sources
The Massachusetts Children’s Trust and the Pew Center for States funded this research.