N/A
N=38
Improving Delay Discounting to Decrease Harsh Parenting Among Parents Receiving Substance Use Treatment
Behavioral Health
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05229120 ↗Enrolled (actual)
38
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Mar 2025
Primary outcome: Primary: Change in Delay Discounting 5 Trial Adjusted Measure — -3.87; -5.03 log (k) — p=.124
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- N/A
- Interventions
- Episodic Future Thinking (Behavioral)
- Age
- Pediatric, Adult, Older Adult
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- Henry Ford Health System
- Primary completion
- Feb 2023
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Change in Delay Discounting 5 Trial Adjusted Measure |
-3.87; -5.03 | .124 |
| PRIMARY Change in Consideration of Future Consequences Scale - Parenting Adapted |
54.93; 53.80 | .219 |
| SECONDARY Change in Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System Scores |
4.83; 3.17; 4.83; 5.17 | .50 |
| SECONDARY Change in Alabama Parenting Questionnaire Scores |
38.93; 26.5; 15.22; 15.14; 5.21; 38.94 | .498 |
Summary
Parents with substance use disorders are disproportionately more likely to engage in harsh physical discipline, which can lead to serious clinical outcomes, including child maltreatment and the intergenerational transmission of addictive disorders. One mechanism linking substance use and maladaptive parenting strategies is parental delay discounting, or the tendency to value smaller, immediate rewards (such as stopping children's misbehavior via physical punishment) relative to larger, but delayed rewards (like shaping adaptive child behaviors over time). This study will examine the efficacy of implementing a low-cost, brief intervention targeting the reduction of parental delay discounting to inform broader public health efforts aimed at reducing child maltreatment and interrupting intergenerational cycles of substance abuse in traditionally underserved communities.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Parent of child between 6-10 years of age
- Able to provide informed consent and take part in all study procedures in English
- Have current diagnosis of SUD
- Currently reside with their child at least 50% of the time
- Be willing to receive daily postcards
Exclusion Criteria
- Active suicidality/homicidally
- Active bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or psychosis.
- Only one parent-child dyad from each family.
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05229120). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.