NCT06241300 · University of Illinois at Chicago
Executive Function and Parenting in Childhood
(EPIC)
What this study is about
Deficits in executive functioning (EF) disproportionately impact children living in poverty and increase risk for psychopathology, particularly disruptive behavior disorders.
View original scientific description
Deficits in executive functioning (EF) disproportionately impact children living in poverty and increase risk for psychopathology, particularly disruptive behavior disorders. This randomized clinical trial seeks to determine whether childhood EF, assessed across neural and behavioral units of analysis, is an experimental therapeutic target that can be directly modified through caregiver participation in the Chicago Parent Program (CPP), if increases in EF predict reduced disruptive behavior trajectories in low-income children over a short-term follow-up period, and identify which CPP-driven parenting skill improvements are the most influential in modifying EF. This work will contribute new knowledge as to whether a cost-efficient parenting intervention, developed for and with low-income families raising young children in poverty, can modify EF, a neural behavioral mechanism implicated in risk for childhood disruptive behavior problems.
Interventions
BEHAVIORAL
Chicago Parent Program
Chicago Parent Program is an evidence-based group parenting intervention designed to reduce disruptive behavior in young children (2-8 years old).
Primary outcome measures
Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P)
Time frame: an average of 4 months
Parents will complete the BRIEF-P to assess their child's executive functioning, and the Global Executive Composite score will be used in the analysis.
NIH Toolbox Early Childhood Cognitive Battery
Time frame: an average of 4 months
Children will be administered the NIH Toolbox Early Childhood Cognitive Battery to assess their executive functioning.
EEG-Based indices of EF
Time frame: an average of 4 months
Children will complete the Zoo Go/No-Go computerized task while EEG is simultaneously recorded. Event-related potential components that index EF and theta spectral power and error-related interchannel phase frequency between frontocentral and frontolateral regions, will be used in the analyses.
Who can participate
This study lists these criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov. A study coordinator reviews eligibility during screening — this page does not determine whether you qualify.
Inclusion criteria
- Children must be between the ages of 4 years old and 5 years, 11 months old
- Parent must be the legal guardian of the target child and must live with the child full-time
- Parents will be 18 years and older (no maximum age limit)
- Only one child and one parent per family can participate in the study
- Child is Medicaid eligible, defined as receiving Medicaid or eligible based on family income (up to 142 percent of the federal poverty level)
- At enrollment the child will have moderate-to-severe (i.e., (sub)clinical) impairments in executive functioning as indicated by having a global executive composite standardized score greater than or equal to 60 on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), which will be completed by parents at the initial screen
- Given that some assessment materials are only validated in English, parents and children for this study will need to be English-speaking
- Child does not have a prior or current diagnosis of a disruptive behavior disorder based on Diagnostic Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria
- Child is not currently receiving mental health services
- Child does not take medications to treat emotional or behavioral problems
- Child does not have a medical condition, such as epilepsy, that would interfere with the completion of study tasks
- Child is not actively suicidal
- Child does not have a history of psychosis or currently psychotic
- Parent does not have a medical condition that would interfere with the completion of the study
- Parent does not have an intellectual disability that would interfere with their ability to complete the study
- Parent does not have a severe mental illness, active suicidal ideation, or current alcohol/substance abuse/dependence that would interfere with their ability to participate in the study
- Child can have a current or past histories of psychiatric disorders (anxiety, mood, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
- Parent can have current or past history of psychiatric disorders
- Parent can be taking medications to treat mental health problems
Exclusion criteria
- Child is not between the ages of 4-5 years old
- The parent is not the legal guardian of the target child
- The parent does not live with the child full-time
- The parent is younger than 18 years old
- Child is not receiving Medicaid or Medicaid eligible
- Child does not have (sub)clinical impairments in executive functioning as indicated by having a global executive composite standardized score greater than or equal to 60 on the BRIEF
- Child and parent are not English-Speaking
- Child has a prior or current diagnosis of a disruptive behavior disorder based on DSM-5 criteria
- Child is currently receiving mental health services
- Child currently takes medications to treat emotional or behavioral problems
- Child has a medical condition, such as epilepsy, that would interfere with the completion of study tasks
- Child is actively suicidal
- Child has a history of psychosis or is currently psychotic
- Parent is not willing to be randomly assigned to receive the Chicago Parent Program intervention or to the control condition where they will not receive an intervention
- Parent has a medical condition that would interfere with the completion of the study
- Parent has an intellectual disability that would interfere with their ability to complete the study
- Parent has a severe mental illness and/or active suicidal ideation
Where
- Chicago, Illinois
Collaborators
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Related conditions & keywords
Frequently asked questions
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or procedures to determine their safety and effectiveness. Trials are carefully designed and monitored to protect participants while advancing medical knowledge.
Is it safe to participate?
Clinical trials follow strict safety guidelines and ethical standards. Trials must be reviewed and approved, and participants are closely monitored by medical professionals throughout the study. You can withdraw at any time if you choose.
Will I be compensated?
Many clinical trials offer compensation for your time, travel expenses, and inconvenience. The specific compensation varies by study and will be discussed during the screening process. All study-related medical care is typically provided at no cost to participants.
Will I receive a placebo instead of treatment?
When effective treatment exists, participants typically receive either the standard treatment plus the study intervention, or the standard treatment plus placebo. You would not be denied effective care. Placebos are primarily used when no proven treatment is available, or in addition to standard care. Your trial consent form will clearly explain what treatments you may receive.
Can I leave a trial if I change my mind?
Absolutely. Participation in clinical trials is completely voluntary. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.
How long does a clinical trial last?
Trial duration varies widely depending on the study design and purpose. Some trials last just a few weeks, while others may continue for months or years. The study coordinator will provide specific timeline information during your screening call.
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov · synced Jul 9, 2026 · Source of record for eligibility and locations