Protocol and Preliminary Findings from the BrainPALS Study in Very Preterm Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Digital Parenting Program.

Background/Objectives: Children born very preterm (VPT; <33 weeks gestation) are at increased risk for atypical neurodevelopment and deficits in self-regulation, including executive function (EF) and emotion regulation (ER). Responsive parenting interventions, such as Play and Learning Strategies (P...

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Publicado en:Children Vol. 13; no. 6; pp. 774 - 799
Autores principales: Bandrey, Dhawal Sanjay, Vieux, Christie S., Laughlin, Haley M., Price, Cara, Landry, Susan, Bick, Johanna R., DeMaster, Dana M.
Formato: research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article
Publicado: MDPI Jun2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jun2026
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      pub: MDPI
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        atl: Protocol and Preliminary Findings from the BrainPALS Study in Very Preterm Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Digital Parenting Program.
      aug:
        au:
          Bandrey, Dhawal Sanjay
          Vieux, Christie S.
          Laughlin, Haley M.
          Price, Cara
          Landry, Susan
          Bick, Johanna R.
          DeMaster, Dana M.
        affil: Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Childbirth, Premature
          Neurodevelopment In Infancy and Childhood
          Play and Playthings In Infancy and Childhood
          Learning Methods In Infancy and Childhood
          Parenting Education
          Caregivers Education
          Digital Technology
          Outcomes of Education Evaluation
          Human
          Randomized Controlled Trials
          Infant Development
          Child Development
          Infant
          Child, Preschool
          Random Assignment
          Pretest-Posttest Design
          Child Behavior
          Task Performance and Analysis
          Parents Education
          Parent-Child Relations
          Self Regulation
          Executive Function
          Funding Source
          Academic Medical Centers
          Texas
          Neuroradiography
          Electroencephalography
          Power Analysis
          Repeated Measures
          Analysis of Covariance
          Post Hoc Analysis
          T-Tests
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Infant: 1-23 months
          Child, Preschool: 2-5 years
      ab: Background/Objectives: Children born very preterm (VPT; <33 weeks gestation) are at increased risk for atypical neurodevelopment and deficits in self-regulation, including executive function (EF) and emotion regulation (ER). Responsive parenting interventions, such as Play and Learning Strategies (PALS), improve caregiver behavior; however, their effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes in VPT populations remain limited. This study describes a randomized controlled trial evaluating a digital adaptation of PALS (ePALS). Methods: Families of toddlers aged 15–28 months born very preterm were randomized to either the ePALS intervention or an active control condition. Assessments were conducted at pre-test and post-test to evaluate caregiver responsiveness, child EF and ER, and neural development using behavioral tasks, EEG, and MRI. Results: To date, 84 families have been randomized (43 ePALS, 41 control). Preliminary findings indicate that parents in the ePALS condition demonstrate greater improvements in responsiveness compared to the control group. Intervention adherence rates are reported. Conclusions: These findings support the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a digitally delivered parenting intervention for improving caregiver responsiveness in families of VPT toddlers. Ongoing analyses will evaluate long-term behavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        randomized controlled trial
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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