Improving adolescent parenting: Results from a randomized controlled trial of a home visiting program for young families

F. Jacobs, M.A. Easterbrooks, J. Goldberg, J. Mistry, E. Bumgarner, M. Raskin, N. Fosse and R. Fauth

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 2, 342-349

Abstract: Objectives. Our aim was to estimate the effects of Healthy Families Massachusetts, a statewide home visiting program serving first-time adolescent parents, on parenting, child development, educational attainment, family planning, and maternal health and well-being. Methods. We used a randomized controlled trial design to randomly assign the 704 participants to a group receiving home visiting services or a control group. Between 2008 and 2012, telephone and in-person interviews were conducted and administrative data obtained at 12 and 24months after enrollment. Intention-to-treat analyses compared group differences across 5 outcome domains: parenting, child health and development, educational and economic achievement, family planning, and parental health and well-being. Results. The home visiting program had a positive influence on parenting stress, college attendance, condom use, intimate partner violence, and engagement in risky behaviors. No negative findings were observed. Conclusions. A paraprofessional home visiting program specifically targeting young mothers appears effective in domains of particular salience to young parents and their infants and toddlers. Expanding participation in the program appears a worthy goal for program administrators and policymakers.

Keywords: adolescent; child parent relation; controlled study; education; family planning; female; human; infant; male; Massachusetts; parent; preschool child; professional practice; psychology; randomized controlled trial; young adult, Adolescent; Child, Preschool; Family Planning Services; Female; House Calls; Humans; Infant; Male; Massachusetts; Parenting; Parents; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2015.302919_7

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302919

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