The purpose of this study is to learn about whether parent participation in the Chicago Parent Program, an evidence-based parenting intervention, is generally effective at reducing children’s disruptive behavior problems and is associated with improvements in children’s executive functioning (i.e., attention, focus, and impulse control) among children who are at risk for disruptive behavior disorders due to challenges with executive functioning.

You and your child may qualify for the study if you meet the following criteria.

Child Inclusion Criteria:

• 4-5 years old
• Fluent in English
• Receives Medicaid (or may be eligible)
• Has a hard time paying attention, controlling impulses, or has frequent outbursts
• Not currently receiving mental health services or medications
• Does not have an Autism or epilepsy diagnosis

Parent Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• Lives with the child full-time
• Willing to travel to UIC for in-person study visits

You’ll start by completing a phone call to see if the study is a good fit. If it is a good fit, you’ll complete a remote interview with the study team and answer questions about your child’s behavior and mental health history. This will take about 1.5 hours.

After the interview, you and your child will visit our laboratory on UIC’s campus. This visit will take about 2.5 hours. During this time, you and your child will complete a series of computer tasks while we measure your brain activity using electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. This simply requires that you wear a cap on your head (sort of like a swimmer’s cap) while you complete computer tasks. It is completely non-invasive! Then, you and your child will complete a few cognitive tasks on an iPad. Your child will also complete some behavioral tasks. Finally, you and your child will interact by playing with toys and games together.

After approximately 16 weeks, you and your child will return to UIC for a second visit, completing the same tasks.

In addition, you’ll be randomly assigned to either the Chicago Parent Program or the control group.

• If you are in the Chicago Parent Program, you’ll attend 11 weekly (and 1-month follow-up) group parenting sessions at UIC. Sessions will last about 2 hours each and will focus on parenting behaviors and managing stress through different activities. Your child is not required to attend, but childcare will be provided if needed.
• If you are in the control group, you will not attend these sessions. Instead, you will simply complete your second lab visit approximately 16 weeks following your initial visit.

Finally, you’ll complete 6- and 12-month virtual follow-ups by doing online questionnaires and a virtual interview about your child’s emotions and behavior as well as your parenting practices. These assessments will take about 1 hour to complete.

Yes, families receive compensation after completing each phase of the research study. Participants in the Chicago Parent Program can receive up to $420 and participants in the control group can receive up to $240.

Participants will also be given either an additional $10 or parking validation for all in-person study components. If randomized to the Chicago Parent Program, dinner and childcare will be provided for all sessions.

There is no cost for you to participate in our research study.