Strengthening Families Program (SFP) Evaluation to Enhance Post-release Adjustment for Reentering Fathers and Improve Child Well-Being, United States, 2012-2015 (ICPSR 36630)

Version Date: Feb 27, 2018

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Principal Investigator(s):
Mindy Scott, Child Trends

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36630.v1

Version V1

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Summary

These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

The aim of this study was to conduct an experimental outcomes evaluation to examine the impact of adding an evidence-based family strengthening program to reentry services for fathers leaving jail or prison. The program, Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP), was tested to see whether it improved family functioning and child well-being among a vulnerable population of reentering fathers with children ages 10-14. Eighty families were randomly assigned to a control group or to the SFP group. Differences in key father, child, and caregiver outcomes were assessed. An implementation evaluation was also conducted to provide clarification and understanding of the outcome evaluation results, and an opportunity to replicate and extend practices that work best with reentering fathers.

Citation

Scott, Mindy. Strengthening Families Program (SFP) Evaluation to Enhance Post-release Adjustment for Reentering Fathers and Improve Child Well-Being, United States, 2012-2015. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2018-02-27. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36630.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2009-IJ-CX-0009)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

None.

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

2012 -- 2015

Date of Collection

2012-11 -- 2015-09

Data Collection Notes

  1. These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  2. The qualitative data are not available as part of this data collection at this time.

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Study Purpose

The study had two objectives: an outcomes evaluation of a parenting intervention for reentering fathers and a process evaluation of the intervention.

Study Design

The study recruited one pilot and five additional cohorts of 16-20 families each. Families were randomly assigned to receive the parenting intervention in addition to regular reentry services. Data collection involved a baseline survey and follow-ups at 7 weeks and 6 months given to the father, the child, and an additional caregiver. In addition, focus groups of families and interviews with administrators were done.

Sample

The sample is comprised of fathers participating in a reentry program who met the following eligibility criteria:

  • Released from jail/prison within the last 24 months
  • Father of a child between ages 10 and 14
  • Never charged or convicted as a sex offender
  • Never charged or convicted, or been the subject of a substantiated report of child or domestic abuse or child neglect
  • Never participated in any systematic training offered using the Strengthening Families Program curriculum
  • Parental rights had not been terminated
  • No requirements for supervised visits with the focal child
  • No reported mental or emotional health condition for which the father was not currently receiving treatment.
For each of the fathers selected to participate in the study, a focal child was also identified. One focal child was selected from all of the children identified by the father as eligible to participate. If more than one child was eligible, fathers were asked to select the child with the most recent birthday. Fathers were also encouraged to identify and recruit another adult who shares caretaking responsibility for the focal child, whether this is the child's biological mother, the father's significant other (if different from the child's mother), or a grandparent/relative. Participants who are unable to identify or recruit an additional adult were still permitted to take part in the SFP evaluation.

Time Method

Longitudinal: Panel

Universe

Fathers recently released from incarceration.

Children aged 10-14 whose fathers were recently released from incarceration.

Caregivers of children whose fathers were recently released from incarceration.

Staff of the Strengthening Families Program.

Unit(s) of Observation

Individual

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Description of Variables

The collection includes 3 Stata and 1 SPSS data files:

  • SPSS data file SFPAttendanceTracking.sav (n=240) includes 94 variables describing program attendance patterns.
  • Stata data file SFP_father_final.dta (n=80) includes 915 variables describing father baseline demographics, father well-being, the father-caregiver relationship, the father-child relationship, and child well-being.
  • Stata data file SFP_mother_final.dta (n=58) includes 869 variables describing caregiver baseline demographics, caregiver well-being, the caregiver-father relationship, the caregiver-child relationship, and child well-being.
  • Stata data file SFP_youth_final.dta (n=80) includes 954 variables describing the father-child relationship, the caregiver-child relationship, and child well-being.

Response Rates

Fathers: 66% of fathers were retained 7-weeks after the intervention began, 52% were retained 6 months later.

Mothers/Caregivers: 56% of mothers/caregivers were retained 7 weeks after the intervention started, 44% were retained 6 months later.

Youth: 61% were retained 7 weeks after the intervention started, 41% were retained 6 months later.

Presence of Common Scales

Parenting Stress Index, CES-D, NSCH Social Competence Scale, Youth self-report (YSR) Child Behavior Checklist, Social Competence Scale - The Fast Track Project

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Original Release Date

2018-02-27

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Weight

None

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Notes

  • These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.