Supporting secure attachment and healthy stress responses in young children
Official title: Prevention of Attachment Insecurity, Physiological Dysregulation, and Child Behavior Problems
Funded at Univ of Maryland, College Park · NIH-11363877 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A parenting program called Circle of Security–Parenting will be offered to families with young children in Early Head Start to help prevent insecure attachment, stress-related health problems, and behavior issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $77,829 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD105676-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11363877 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are parents or primary caregivers of infants and young children enrolled in Early Head Start or similar programs who are concerned about attachment, behavior, or stress-related problems.
✕Less likely to help
Children whose caregivers do not take part, families already receiving intensive similar services, or cases where a child’s problems are primarily medical or genetic may not benefit from this parenting program.
What this research studies
If you join, your family would be invited to participate in the Circle of Security–Parenting program delivered through Early Head Start. The program teaches caregivers how to understand and respond to children’s emotional needs to build secure attachment and reduce stress. Families will be randomly assigned to receive the program or usual services, and children’s behavior, attachment, and physiological stress markers will be followed over time. Participation may include group or individual sessions, parent questionnaires, and brief child observations or noninvasive stress measures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help children develop more secure attachments, better regulate stress, and show fewer behavior problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous attachment-based parenting programs, including trials of Circle of Security approaches, have shown promising improvements in caregiver sensitivity and child attachment but large-scale community implementation remains limited.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of Maryland, College Park
College Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cassidy, Jude a — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Cassidy, Jude a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Prevention of Attachment Insecurity and Related Child Problems in Early Head Start
A structured program tests whether teaching caregivers in high-risk families to respond sensitively can improve attachment, regulate physiology, and reduce behavior problems in young children.
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Improving secure attachment and reducing behavior problems in young children
This study is looking at how to help families with young children, especially those facing challenges like low income and stress, by using a special program called Circle of Security – Parenting to strengthen their relationships and support their kids' emotional well-being.
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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.