This investigation evaluates a preventive intervention for bereaved children. The intervention includes a parenting-focused program and a parallel coping enhancement program for children. The prevention program is intended to modify four specific risk and protective factors, (i.e., parental warmth, stable positive events, negative life events, and parent demoralization) that have been found in the Center's previous research to mediate the effects of parental death on childrens' symptoms, and to improve a fifth putative mediator, children's coping skills. The intervention builds on a previously developed family-based program (Sandler et al., 1991, see Appendix A). A randomized field trial of the earlier prevention program showed some positive effects, particularly with older children. The present program improves on the previous one by: a) inclusion of separate parent and child intervention components; b) use of separate groups with age-appropriate teaching methods for preadolescent and adolescent children; and c) 1-year followup outcome evaluation.
Specific aims of the study are to: 1) assess the effectiveness of a multi- component preventive intervention for bereaved children in producing: a) changes in the family environment mediating variables and children's coping and, b) changes in childrens' depression and conduct disorder; 2) assess program impact on family environment mediators, coping, and mental health outcomes separately for younger (aged 8-12 years) and older (aged 13-16) children; 3) assess maintenance of program effects on mediators and symptomatology 1 year after intervention; 4) separately test theoretical models by using the cross- sectional pre-test data that relate family environment variables and coping variables to mental health symptoms; 5) test the theoretical model whereby the family environment and coding variables affect mental health symptoms using mediational analysis of the effects of the intervention program; and 6) assess factors which determine program participation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH049155-05
Application #
2675046
Study Section
Child/Adolescent Risk and Prevention Review Committee (CAPR)
Project Start
1994-06-01
Project End
2000-05-31
Budget Start
1998-06-01
Budget End
2000-05-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
188435911
City
Tempe
State
AZ
Country
United States
Zip Code
85287
Siddique, Juned; de Chavez, Peter J; Howe, George et al. (2018) Limitations in Using Multiple Imputation to Harmonize Individual Participant Data for Meta-Analysis. Prev Sci 19:95-108
Sandler, Irwin; Gunn, Heather; Mazza, Gina et al. (2018) Three perspectives on mental health problems of young adults and their parents at a 15-year follow-up of the family bereavement program. J Consult Clin Psychol 86:845-855
Brown, C Hendricks; Brincks, Ahnalee; Huang, Shi et al. (2018) Two-Year Impact of Prevention Programs on Adolescent Depression: an Integrative Data Analysis Approach. Prev Sci 19:74-94
Brincks, Ahnalee; Montag, Samantha; Howe, George W et al. (2018) Addressing Methodologic Challenges and Minimizing Threats to Validity in Synthesizing Findings from Individual-Level Data Across Longitudinal Randomized Trials. Prev Sci 19:60-73
Sandler, Irwin; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Wolchik, Sharlene et al. (2016) The Effects of the Family Bereavement Program to Reduce Suicide Ideation and/or Attempts of Parentally Bereaved Children Six and Fifteen Years Later. Suicide Life Threat Behav 46 Suppl 1:S32-8
Sandler, Irwin; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Cham, Heining et al. (2016) Long-term effects of the Family Bereavement Program on spousally bereaved parents: Grief, mental health problems, alcohol problems, and coping efficacy. Dev Psychopathol 28:801-18
Schoenfelder, Erin N; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Wolchik, Sharlene et al. (2015) Effects of the Family Bereavement Program on academic outcomes, educational expectations and job aspirations 6 years later: the mediating role of parenting and youth mental health problems. J Abnorm Child Psychol 43:229-41
Luecken, Linda J; Hagan, Melissa J; Sandler, Irwin N et al. (2014) Longitudinal mediators of a randomized prevention program effect on cortisol for youth from parentally bereaved families. Prev Sci 15:224-232
Ayers, Tim S; Wolchik, Sharlene A; Sandler, Irwin N et al. (2013) The Family Bereavement Program: description of a theory-based prevention program for parentally-bereaved children and adolescents. Omega (Westport) 68:293-314
Tein, Jenn-Yun; Coxe, Stefany; Cham, Heining (2013) Statistical Power to Detect the Correct Number of Classes in Latent Profile Analysis. Struct Equ Modeling 20:640-657

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