Helping children of parents with substance use disorders improve early language skills

Evidence-based intervention enhancements to reduce language delays and disorders among children of parents with substance use disorders

NIH-funded research University of Oregon · NIH-11238887

This project looks at whether adding one-on-one parent coaching to group language programs helps infants and young children of parents with substance use disorders build stronger early language skills.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Oregon NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Eugene, United States)
Project IDNIH-11238887 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If your family is affected by substance use, this project will bring language support into the places you already go for SUD services. Families will be offered group-based language programs delivered by trusted providers, and some parents will also receive individualized coaching and lessons to use at home. Researchers will compare outcomes for children whose parents get group-only support versus group plus individual parent coaching to see which helps language development more. The program focuses on culturally responsive delivery and reaching families in rural or language-minoritized communities to make services easier to access.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are infants and young children (early childhood through early elementary years) whose parent or caregiver has a substance use disorder and who are willing to take part in program sessions through their treatment provider.

Not a fit: Children without a parent with SUD, older children beyond the targeted age range, or those who already need intensive clinical speech-language services may not benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help more children of parents with SUD get early language help and reduce delays that lead to long-term learning problems.

How similar studies have performed: Group-based parent-mediated language interventions have improved child language in prior work, but adding individualized parent coaching for families affected by SUD is a new approach being tested.

Where this research is happening

Eugene, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.