Resilient Roots: Support for youth and families affected by child abuse and neglect

TRANSFORM: Translational Research That Adapts New Science FOR Maltreatment Prevention Project 3

This project will test whether adding a family- and community-focused socialization component to Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) helps 10–15-year-olds who experienced child abuse or neglect reduce trauma symptoms and improve coping.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Ages: 10 Years to 15 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Rochester (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Rochester, New York)
• Trial ID: NCT06535516 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Resilient Roots is embedded in the TRANSFORM Center and offers Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) alone or TF-CBT augmented with a socialization component designed to address socioecological stressors. Youth aged 10–15 with a history of child abuse or neglect and their caregivers who are receiving services at the University of Rochester participate in the program based at the Mt. Hope Family Center. The intervention combines established TF-CBT techniques with family- and community-focused supports to strengthen coping, communication, and caregiver competence. Outcomes include symptom change, engagement in care, and family functioning.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are 10–15-year-olds receiving services at the University of Rochester Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness who have a history of child abuse or neglect and whose caregivers can consent and participate, excluding those in foster care or residential treatment.

Not a fit: Youth in foster care or residential treatment, those with significant cognitive or psychiatric impairments that prevent participation, or those unable to attend in-person visits in Rochester are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, adding socialization supports to TF-CBT could reduce trauma symptoms, improve coping and family functioning, and make mental health care more acceptable and accessible for affected youth.

How similar studies have performed: TF-CBT is a well-established, evidence-based treatment for child trauma, while augmenting TF-CBT with a socioecological socialization component is a newer approach with limited prior testing.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Youth participants will be:

* Youth who are seeking services at the University of Rochester Medical Center Pediatric Behavioral Health and Wellness and whose caregivers consent to participate and youth assent to participate.
* Youth ages 10-15 years at the time of enrollment.
* Youth with histories of child maltreatment as determined by screening positive on at least 1 child abuse or neglect item from the ACE scale completed by caregiver report and/or report of child trauma exposure during the phone screen at intake or on the Child PTSD Symptom Checklist assessment tool completed independently by youth.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Significant cognitive limitations or psychiatric condition that would interfere with ability to participate in the assessment and treatment portions of the study
* Physical disability, if we do not have a way of providing necessary accommodations to allow them to engage in the study
* Youth in foster care or residential treatment
* Caregivers with self-reported significant psychiatric needs or substance use requiring inpatient treatment that would interfere with their ability to participate in the assessment and treatment of study
* Language: English speaking proficiency that precludes completing assessment measures

Where this trial is running

Rochester, New York

• Mt. Hope Family Center — Rochester, New York, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Jody T Manly, Ph.D.

Conditions Posttraumatic Stress Disorder