School-Based Groups for Parents of Children Coping with ED/OHI
(Also known as "Kiddie Psycho-Education" Project)

Principal Investigator: David Pollio, PhD
Funder: No external funding at this time.
Timeframe: Proposal is under development. 
Affiliation: Center for Mental Health Services Research (CMHSR)

Project Staff:
           Carol North, MD, MPE, Co-Investigator
           Melissa Jonson-Reid, PhD, Co-Investigator
Participating Organizations: Special School District of St. Louis County (SSD)
Project Contact:    Sarah Hunter, BA, Administrator
                               (314) 935-7670 

Project Update as of 05/03/05:
Stage: Proposal is under development.

Description: Research has consistently found that students classified as Emotionally Disturbed (ED) or having a mental illness diagnosis classified as Other Health Impaired (OHI) disproportionately suffer from school failure and other negative school-related and emotional and life-trajectory outcomes.  Interventions aimed at increasing the family’s ability to support their child coping with ED/OHI have unique potential to achieve positive effects on these outcomes.  Early adolescence is noted as a critical period for the development of various high-risk behaviors.  Data on multifamily groups suggest their promise for improving outcomes for middle school age youth with ED/OHI and their families.  Despite the central role of schools in providing “related services” (developmental, corrective, and other supportive services required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education) to the ED/OHI population, research on these school-based services is scarce.  Given that students with ED/OHI have some of the worst outcomes of any children served under IDEA (1997), lack of description and evaluation of these services is alarming.

Aim 1. To implement and test a school-based multifamily group model “PsychoEducation Responsive to Families with a Child coping with ED/OHI (C-PERF)” focused on children of middle school age.  C-PERF provides families with education and support through a manualized intervention that allows families within each group to develop their own unique curriculum.  A randomized clinical trial will provide evidence of the effectiveness of C-PERF to improve outcomes for youth (student self-efficacy, behavioral symptoms, functioning, activities, school behaviors) and their families (family self-efficacy, well-being, social support, burden, and coping).

Aim 2. To collect information on related services received by middle school age children with ED/OHI, examine the impact of the services on outcomes for families, and understand the mediating role that related services play on achieving outcomes for C-PERF families.  Data will be collected on all students receiving services through the Special School District, a unique single system serving 23 parent school districts comprising St. Louis County.