Suubi4StrongerFamilies

Summary

The study will examine the mechanisms by which Economic Empowerment (EE) and Family Strengthening (FS) interventions targeting social, familial and context-specific drivers affect childhood behavioral health (CBH). The study will randomly assign 900 children in mid-upper primary school (10 to 14 years) to one of the three study arms (10 schools each): 1) EE only (n=300), 2) Multiple Family Group (MFG)-based FS only (n=300), and 3) combined EE+MFG-based FS (n=300). The interventions will be provided for 12 months. Assessments will occur at baseline, 12, 24 and 36 months.

Conditions

• Child Behavioral Health

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Economic Empowerment (EE)

EE will be provided via a child development account (CDA). CDAs provide children with basic financial education, introduce them to formal financial institutions, and incentivize them to save by matching their deposits. Any of the child's family members, relatives, or friends will be allowed and encouraged to contribute towards the CDA. The account will be matched with money from the program. The maximum family contribution to be matched by the program will be an equivalent of US $10 per month per family or US $120 for the 12-month intervention period.

BEHAVIORAL

Multiple Family Group based Family Strengthening (MFG-based FS)

MFG-based FS approach is a family-centered, group delivered, evidence-informed, strength-based intervention designed for children and adolescents whose families struggle with poverty and associated stressors. MFG is based on building support for parents and families by providing opportunities for parents and children to communicate in a safe setting with other families who have shared experiences. The core components of MFG are known as 4Rs and 2S's: rules, responsibility, relationships, respectful communication, stress and social support. Participants in this study arm will receive 16 session of MFG-based FS sessions, delivered by delivered by trained Community Health Workers and Parent Peers.

BEHAVIORAL

EE plus MFG-based FS

EE plus MFG-based FS directly addresses both the economic needs and mental health functioning. It will consists of an EE intervention that comprises a family monetary savings program using CDAs, and a family-based dialogue and training via MFG focused on strengthening family relationships and mental health challenges.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• Washington University School of Medicine

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

10 Years

Max Age

14 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-06-14

Primary Completion

2027-03-01

Completion

2027-04-01

Countries

• Uganda

Study Locations