NCT05196724

Holding a Foster Child's Mind in Mind

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 175 (estimated)
• Sponsor: VIVE - The Danish Center for Social Science Research · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) for foster families in Denmark on child mental health and well-being, parental stress, mental health, and reflective function, parental mind-mindedness and the parent-child relationship.

Detailed description

Children placed in foster care are psychologically and physically vulnerable and show more social, developmental, and behavioral problems than children living with their family of origin. Many foster parents struggle to care for these children, some of whom have experienced serious adversity at a young age. The study examines the effects of Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT) in a cluster-randomized controlled trial with 175 foster families with children aged 4-17 years in 10 Danish municipalities.

Conditions

• Attachment Disorder
• Behavior Problem

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Mentalization Based Therapy MBT	The focus is on improving the core components of secure attachment, particularly by developing the reflective functioning for all professionals working with children in out-of-home care, which is subsequently proposed to increase the psychosocial adjustment of the child and decrease emotional and behavioral problems. MBT treatment consists of up to 12 weekly sessions with the foster parents and child covering three core components: 1) psycho-education about mentalizing, trauma, and attachment for foster parents; 2) support for reflective practice in the professional network, and 3) mentalization-based therapy for the foster family \[41\].
BEHAVIORAL	Usual care	The control group will receive the usual care offered to foster families such as supervision

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-08-01
• Primary completion: 2024-11-12
• Completion: 2025-05-31
• First posted: 2022-01-19
• Last updated: 2024-11-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Denmark