Improving caregiver engagement to prevent child maltreatment.
Official title: CE23-003 - Caregiver Relational Responsiveness (RR): An Understudied Fidelity Construct as a Mechanism to Increase Protective Factors Against Maltreatment.
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10904599 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how caregivers can better support programs that help prevent child abuse by being more responsive and engaged, and it’s designed for families involved in the Family Success Network to see if this approach makes a difference.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | September 29, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $150,000 |
| NIH project number | 5K01CE003543-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10904599 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are caregivers involved in the Family Success Network who are seeking support to prevent child maltreatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have a history of substantiated maltreatment may not benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how caregiver engagement, specifically through a concept called Relational Responsiveness (RR), can enhance the effectiveness of maltreatment prevention programs. By focusing on how caregivers respond and engage with interventions, the study aims to identify ways to strengthen protective factors against child maltreatment. The research will involve caregivers participating in the Family Success Network, a community-based program designed to support families at risk. Using a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), the study will assess the impact of RR on the success of these prevention efforts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective maltreatment prevention programs that better support at-risk families.
How similar studies have gone: While the focus on Relational Responsiveness is relatively novel, previous studies have shown that enhancing participant engagement can improve outcomes in similar intervention programs.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moon, Deborah J. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Moon, Deborah J.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.