Protocol for a randomized clinical trial of strength at home parents: A trauma informed parenting intervention for veterans

Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in veterans and associated with impairments in family functioning, including parenting. There is a bidirectional relationship between PTSD and familial functioning such that impaired functioning is related to increases in trauma-related symptoms, and vice versa. Despite this known bidirectional association, there is currently no trauma-informed parenting intervention available for veterans within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Strength at Home – Parents (SAHP) is an 8-session telehealth delivered psychotherapy group that aims to improve parenting behaviors and overall parent-child and family functioning among U.S. military veterans with PTSD symptoms. This paper describes the methods of an individually randomized group therapy trial to test the efficacy of SAHP compared to a VA treatment as usual control condition.Methods are reported using SPIRIT guidelines. Methods: One hundred and ninety veterans with elevated PTSD symptoms and parent-child functioning problems will be randomly assigned to the SAHP intervention or a treatment-as-usual control group. Outcomes are measured at 4 timepoints including baseline. The primary outcome is parenting stress. We will also examine changes in parenting behaviors, whether treatment gains are maintained over time, and will conduct an exploratory analysis to examine results separately by gender. Secondary outcomes include symptoms of PTSD and depression, family functioning, and child psychosocial functioning. Conclusion: Study findings will determine the efficacy of SAHP, an intervention developed for ease of use and implementation within the VA to improve parenting stress and parenting behaviors in veterans with elevated PTSD symptoms and parenting difficulties.