Manuscript Details

Source

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.
Moderate rating
Author Affiliation
All authors are affiliated with the Tufts University Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, with the exception of Dr. Bumgarner, who is affiliated with Abt Associates.
Funding Sources
The Massachusetts Children’s Trust and the Pew Center for States funded this research.

Study Design

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
Notes
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.
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.
Home Visiting Services
Home visiting services were offered from pregnancy through the child's third birthday. Visits were offered biweekly during pregnancy, weekly for at least six months following the baby's birth, and then less frequently. Home visiting services included setting goals, curriculum-based activities, family support, routine developmental and health screenings, and linkages to medical and other needed services.On average, mothers received 24 home visits (SD = 26.4, median = 14) over an average of 14.7 months (SD = 12.8, median = 9.8).
Comparison Conditions
The control group received information about child development and referrals to other services.
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.
Home Visiting Services
Home visiting services were offered from pregnancy through the child's third birthday. Visits were offered biweekly during pregnancy, weekly for at least six months following the baby's birth, and then less frequently. Home visiting services included setting goals, curriculum-based activities, family support, routine developmental and health screenings, and linkages to medical and other needed services.On average, mothers received 24 home visits (SD = 26.4, median = 14) over an average of 14.7 months (SD = 12.8, median = 9.8).
Comparison Conditions
The control group received information about child development and referrals to other services.

Findings that rate moderate or high in this manuscript

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
Effect rating key
Favorable finding / Statistically significant
UnFavorable finding / Statistically significant
Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant
No effect / Not statistically significant
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
Effect rating key
Favorable finding / Statistically significant
UnFavorable finding / Statistically significant
Ambiguous finding / Statistically significant
No effect / Not statistically significant
Family economic self-sufficiency
Outcome measure Timing of follow-up Rating Direction of Effect Effect size (absolute value) Stastical significance Sample size Sample description
High school diploma or equivalent - 2 years 2 years post enrollment Moderate
0.08 Not statistically significant, p = 0.52 604 mothers MA sample
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
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
19%
Hispanic or Latino
36%
White
37%
Unknown
8%

Maternal Education

Data not available

Other Characteristics

Enrollment in means-tested programs
19%