Research on Infant/Toddler Mental Health: Building a Community Partnership

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed project seeks to develop a consortium of community providers, families of children presenting with disorders of relating and communicating, funding agencies and researchers to identify an evidence-based intervention to meet the needs of these infants /toddlers and their families. Difficulty with communication, behavioral regulation, sensory sensitivity, and problems developing early attachment relationships place infants and toddlers at-risk for future mental health disorders, including autism and developmental delays, social-emotional problems, and serious behavior difficulties. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently identified these issues as significant public health challenges, calling for programming directed toward preventing later mental and developmental disorders. The CDC collaborative report emphasized the need to develop preventative interventions using comprehensive community models to facilitate appropriate development and promote healthy environments. Current early intervention models may be limited by focusing primarily on skill deficits without adequate regard for the child's ability to engage with the environment, interact with caregivers, or self-regulate. Further, they may not address the perceived community needs or fit with community values. By identifying an early preventative intervention that targets a range of needs in these children and families and fits the community, providers can simultaneously treat presenting deficits and prevent further difficulties from emerging. Given the limited research on interventions addressing social-communicative issues in infants and toddlers, public and private agencies are struggling to implement appropriate and effective programs. We believe that developing a community partnership can concurrently meet the identified community need and advance the science of interventions for this young group of children. The specific aims of the proposed project are to: (1) Develop a coalition for community and research collaboration; (2) Examine the "fit" of two integrated behavioral- developmental parent-implemented interventions for infants and toddlers with disorders of relating and communicating and their families within the context of the community, and select a specific intervention and corresponding training model for implementation in the community; and (3) Conduct feasibility testing of the training model and selected intervention with community providers and parents and develop a collaborative R01. The activities will be supported within the rich, interdisciplinary research and training environment of the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center. The proposed project was initiated by clinicians and the proposal was driven by consensual priorities across a partnership or families, community providers, funding agencies and researchers. CBPR principles of equity in decision-making, resource sharing, co-learning and capacity-building, and a balance of research and community values also drive the proposed activities. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed project seeks to develop a consortium of community providers, families of children presenting with disorders of relating and communicating, funding agencies and researchers to identify an evidence-based intervention to meet the growing needs of these infants and toddlers and their families. The project uses a collaborative approach involving community stakeholders and researchers and an empirically validated framework to measure the collaborative process. Identifying and testing a specific model for use in a large community will simultaneously advance the science in early intervention/prevention and serve a critical need identified by community providers, funding agencies and families.