Intervention effects on negative affect of CPS-referred children: results of a randomized clinical trial

Area of Science:

• Child psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• Early adversity and child maltreatment are linked to behavioral and emotional dysregulation.
• Parental behavior significantly influences a child's self-regulatory development.
• Effective interventions are needed to mitigate the long-term effects of early adversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention.
• To assess the impact of the ABC intervention on children's emotional regulation.
• To examine the intervention's effects in a population referred to Child Protective Services (CPS).

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial design was employed.
• Parent-child dyads received either the ABC intervention or a control intervention.
• Children's negative affect was measured during a challenging task post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Children in the ABC intervention group (n=56) showed significantly lower levels of negative affect.
• The control group (n=61) exhibited higher levels of negative affect during the task.
• The findings suggest a positive impact of the ABC intervention on children's emotional responses.

Conclusions:

• The Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up intervention is effective in reducing negative affect in young children exposed to adversity.
• Nurturing and non-frightening parenting behaviors, as promoted by ABC, enhance children's self-regulation.
• The ABC intervention shows promise for supporting children involved with Child Protective Services.