Promoting Compliance in Children Referred to Child Protective Services: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Early childhood maltreatment significantly impacts long-term behavioral compliance.
• Children referred to Child Protective Services are at high risk for developmental challenges.
• Preventative interventions are crucial for mitigating negative effects of adverse early experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention.
• To determine if ABC enhances compliance in young children referred to Child Protective Services.
• To investigate the mediating role of parent sensitivity in the ABC intervention's effect on child compliance.

Main Methods:

• Randomized clinical trial involving 101 parent-child dyads.
• Intervention group received ABC; control group received a standard intervention.
• Child compliance was assessed at 36 months; parent sensitivity was measured post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Children who received the ABC intervention showed significantly improved compliance compared to the control group at 36 months.
• Parental sensitivity, measured at 18 months, partially mediated the positive impact of ABC on child compliance.
• The findings suggest a sustained positive effect of the ABC intervention on child behavioral outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The brief Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention is effective in enhancing child compliance.
• Increased parent sensitivity plays a key role in mediating the intervention's success.
• ABC represents a promising preventative strategy for children exposed to early adversity.