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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Sep;38(9):1508-20.
doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2014.03.020. Epub 2014 Apr 29.

Engaging foster parents in treatment: a randomized trial of supplementing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy with evidence-based engagement strategies

Shannon Dorsey  1 , Michael D Pullmann  2 , Lucy Berliner  3 , Elizabeth Koschmann  4 , Mary McKay  5 , Esther Deblinger  6
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Engaging foster parents in treatment: a randomized trial of supplementing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy with evidence-based engagement strategies

Shannon Dorsey et al. Child Abuse Negl. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

The goal of this study was to examine the impact of supplementing Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT; Cohen et al., 2006) with evidence-based engagement strategies on foster parent and foster youth engagement in treatment, given challenges engaging foster parents in treatment. A randomized controlled trial of TF-CBT standard delivery compared to TF-CBT plus evidence-based engagement strategies was conducted with 47 children and adolescents in foster care and one of their foster parents. Attendance, engagement, and clinical outcomes were assessed 1 month into treatment, end of treatment, and 3 months post-treatment. Youth and foster parents who received TF-CBT plus evidence-based engagement strategies were more likely to be retained in treatment through four sessions and were less likely to drop out of treatment prematurely. The engagement strategies did not appear to have an effect on the number of canceled or no-show sessions or on treatment satisfaction. Clinical outcomes did not differ by study condition, but exploratory analyses suggest that youth had significant improvements with treatment. Strategies that specifically target engagement may hold promise for increasing access to evidence-based treatments and for increasing likelihood of treatment completion.

Keywords: Child trauma; Child welfare; Engagement; Foster care; TF-CBT; Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CONSORT DIAGRAM 149 child-parent dyads were randomly assigned to treatment, two standard condition youth were ineligible within a few days of randomization (one placed in group home, one ran away) 2Child (Parent) 3Two children in the standard condition and one engagement condition were still in active treatment at the end of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Session Attendance by Study Condition
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cox Regression Models of Premature End of Treatment and Treatment Completion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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