Telehealth intervention for improving family communication in foster care youth

Leveraging Technology to Improve Family Relationships for Adolescents in Out-of-Home Placement

Not applicable Interventional University of California, San Francisco · NCT04488523

This study is testing a telehealth program to see if it can help improve communication and relationships between foster care youth and their caregivers.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment300 (estimated)
Ages12 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of California, San Francisco Academic / other
Locations1 site (San Francisco, California)
Trial IDNCT04488523 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This project aims to adapt and evaluate a family-based intervention for child welfare-involved youth and their caregivers, delivered via telehealth. The intervention includes two versions: one for youth and their caregiver of origin, and another for caregivers only. The study will iteratively refine the intervention based on feedback from participants and stakeholders, assessing its feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness in enhancing parent-child relationships and communication. The focus is on improving the quality of interactions and housing stability for these families.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include youth aged 12-18 with ongoing child welfare involvement and their caregivers who can provide informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients whose caregivers have had their rights terminated due to substantiated abuse or neglect may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly improve communication and relationships between foster care youth and their caregivers.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using telehealth for family interventions, indicating potential success for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

Eligible youth:

* Will be between the ages of 12 and 18 years
* Will have ongoing child welfare involvement
* Will be proficient in English
* Will have no cognitive impairment which would preclude provision of informed assent

Eligible caregivers for dyadic version:

* Will be the caregiver of origin for the enrolled youth
* Will be proficient in English or Spanish
* Will be cognitively capable of providing informed consent for themselves and their youth

Eligible caregivers for caregiver-only version:

* Will be the caregiver of a youth, between the ages of 12 and 18 years, with ongoing child welfare involvement
* Will be proficient in English or Spanish
* Will have no cognitive impairment which would preclude provision of informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Caregivers whose rights were terminated due to substantiated abuse or neglect.

Where this trial is running

San Francisco, California

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Parent-Child RelationsCommunicationtelehealthparent-child relationshipsadolescentQuality communicationHousing stabilityChild welfare
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.