NCT07025447

Father-Inclusive Parenting Intervention in Mwanza, Tanzania

Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of a Father-Inclusive Parenting Intervention in Mwanza, Tanzania

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 792 (actual)
• Sponsor: Emory University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This cluster-randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the impact of a couples-based parenting program, "Familia Bora," on mothers' and fathers' parenting, couples' relationships, gender, and early child development in the Mwanza Region, Tanzania. Additionally, this study aims to assess the program's implementation and identify factors influencing its quality and effectiveness. Trained community health workers will deliver the program by facilitating weekly peer group sessions in their villages. Twelve couples with a child under two years old will be enrolled in each village. The program will cover various topics, including responsive caregiving, positive discipline, stress management, healthy couples' communication, nutrition, and gender.

Detailed description

An estimated 43% of children under five in low- and middle-income countries are at risk of not achieving their developmental potential, with the burden highest in sub-Saharan Africa. While there is robust evidence on the effectiveness of parenting interventions for improving nurturing care and early childhood development (ECD), the vast majority of existing programs have targeted mothers exclusively. Fathers are often excluded from parenting programs, even though evidence highlights their vital contributions to child and family wellbeing. This cluster-randomized controlled trial will evaluate the impacts and implementation quality of a newly developed, culturally-responsive, gender-transformative, and father-inclusive parenting intervention ("Familia Bora"). The study will be implemented in 33 villages across Misungwi and Sengerema districts in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. Half of the villages will be randomly assigned to the intervention (17 villages) versus control group (16 villages) with stratification by district. The program will train community health workers (CHWs) to deliver the program to groups of 12 randomly selected couples per village. Familia Bora primarily involves group sessions covering various topics, including responsive parenting, positive discipline, couples' communication, stress management, and gender roles in family caregiving. These group sessions will be held at a convenient community location on a weekly basis for approximately five months. In total, the trial will enroll 396 couples with young children (i.e., 396 men and 396 female partners). Quantitative surveys will be conducted with fathers and mothers at baseline and endline to assess outcomes, including maternal and paternal parenting practices and attitudes, gender attitudes, relationship dynamics, and early childhood development. Quantitative data will be collected from CHWs at baseline and endline to assess program-related changes in their knowledge, attitudes, and skills. In addition to the quantitative evaluation, qualitative methods will be used to evaluate implementation processes and participant perspectives through midline and endline in-depth interviews with a subsample of caregivers and CHWs, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders across the intervention villages.

Conditions

• Parents

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Familia Bora	Familia Bora is a couples-based group parenting program that takes place in a preferred location within the community among participants. Twelve couples will be enrolled in each village and form one parenting group. CHWs will be trained to deliver the intervention. The program will involve 17 group sessions. Each session is expected to last 1.5 hours and will be delivered weekly for approximately 5 months. Each session will focus on various topics, including responsive caregiving, positive discipline, managing emotions and stress management, child nutrition, couples' communication, non-violent conflict resolution strategies in relationships, gender equity, and early child care and education. In addition to the weekly group parenting sessions, CHWs will be encouraged to conduct home visits to engage couples who miss sessions, reinforce key messages, and provide extra support for caregivers and children as needed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-05-21
• Primary completion: 2026-01-31
• Completion: 2026-01-31
• First posted: 2025-06-17
• Last updated: 2025-10-06

Locations

2 sites across 2 countries: United States, Tanzania