RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Enhancing Preschool Children's Attention and Behaviour: Parent-Focused Program

This study is exploring a program called BRIDGE, designed for mothers experiencing depression and their young children aged 3 to 7 who are having difficulties with attention or behaviour. The BRIDGE program helps parents to cope with their own mental health and provides tools to improve their child's self-control and behaviour. The main goal is to see if BRIDGE works well and is easy to access for families. Researchers will look at how it affects mothers' mental well-being, children's attention, and behaviour problems. They also want to understand what helps children prepare for school. Ultimately, this research hopes to find effective ways to support families and improve well-being for young children, with the results shared with community groups and professionals.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

McGill University

Enrolment target

Start

01 Feb 2025

Estimated completion

31 Aug 2027

Maternal Depression Self-Regulation, Emotion Child Mental Disorder Child Development Attention Problems Behaviour Problems Parental Stress

What is this study about?

This study is about a special program called "Building Regulation in Dual Generations," or BRIDGE. It’s designed to help two groups of people at once: mothers who are experiencing significant mental health challenges, like depression, and their young children (aged 3 to 7) who are struggling with paying attention or managing their behaviour.

The BRIDGE program aims to give parents useful tools and strategies. This includes helping mothers manage their own psychological distress, such as feelings of depression or stress. At the same time, it focuses on improving their children's ability to control their emotions and actions. The overall idea is that by supporting parents, we can also help children with their attention and behaviour, leading to a happier and healthier family life.

Researchers want to see if the BRIDGE program is practical and effective. They will be looking at things like whether families find it easy to take part, if it helps improve mothers' mental health, and if it makes a difference to children's attention and behaviour. They also hope to understand what helps children develop important skills for starting school. The findings from this study could lead to better support systems for families in the future, helping both parents and children thrive.

Key takeaways

The BRIDGE program supports mothers with depression and their young children with behaviour/attention issues.
It aims to improve family well-being and children's self-control.
Researchers want to know if the program is helpful and easy to use.
Participation involves weekly sessions (for the program group) and questionnaires.
It could offer new tools for parents and better outcomes for children.
You can withdraw from the study at any time.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for mothers and their young children to take part. For the main BRIDGE program group, mothers must be over 18, speak English, and live in Quebec, Ontario, or Manitoba. They should be experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of depression that are affecting them now, and have also experienced some symptoms during pregnancy or shortly after their child was born. Their child, aged 3 to 7, must be having problems with attention or behaviour.

There's also a comparison group, where mothers must also be over 18, speak English (or be bilingual), and live in the same Canadian provinces. However, mothers in this group should not have significant symptoms of depression, and their child (aged 3 to 7) should not be having attention or behaviour problems. This helps the researchers compare the results of the BRIDGE program.

If you don't meet these specific requirements, or if you can't attend the weekly group therapy sessions for the BRIDGE program, you wouldn't be able to join the study. There will also be an interview process to make sure the study is a good fit for you and your child.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you a mother over 18 years old?
Do you live in Quebec, Ontario, or Manitoba?
Do you speak English (or are you bilingual for the control group)?
Are you currently experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of depression (and did you also have symptoms during or after pregnancy)?
Does your child, aged 3-7, have attention or behaviour problems?
Can you attend weekly group therapy sessions if you join the BRIDGE program group?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join the BRIDGE program group, you will attend weekly group therapy sessions. These sessions are designed to help you with your mental health and provide strategies for supporting your child's attention and behaviour. You will also complete questionnaires to share your experiences and how the program is working. The study will assess how easy it is to attend and if it meets your needs. For the comparison group, participation would involve filling out questionnaires to provide information for comparison. All participation will involve assessments designed to measure changes in mothers' mental health, children's attention and behaviour, and parenting stress. The total duration of participation will depend on the program's length and follow-up assessments.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could offer several potential benefits, such as learning new ways to manage your own mental well-being and strategies to help your child with their attention and behaviour. This could lead to an improved family life and better emotional development for your child. However, there might be some risks involved, such as the time commitment required for sessions and questionnaires, and potentially discussing sensitive personal topics. You might also find some aspects of the program challenging. It's important to remember that you are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care or your relationship with the study team.

Locations (2)

University of Manitoba - Department of Psychology
Verified postcode
Winnipeg, Canada· Enrolling by invitation
McGill University - Department of Education and Counselling Psychology
Verified postcode
Montreal, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is the BRIDGE program?

BRIDGE stands for 'Building Regulation in Dual Generations.' It's a special program that helps mothers with depression and their young children who are having trouble with attention or behaviour.

Who is this study for?

This study is for mothers (over 18) experiencing symptoms of depression and who have children aged 3 to 7 who are struggling with attention or behaviour problems. There's also a group for mothers without significant depression and children without these problems.

What will I have to do if I join?

If you're in the BRIDGE program group, you'll attend weekly group therapy sessions. Both groups will complete questionnaires to help researchers understand the program's effects.

What are the main goals of the study?

The study aims to see if the BRIDGE program is practical and effective in improving mothers' mental health and children's attention and behaviour, as well as family well-being.

Where is this study taking place?

Participants must live in Quebec, Ontario, or Manitoba in Canada.

How to find out more

Tasmia Hai, PhD

tasmia.hai@umanitoba.ca 204-474- 8258 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.