Assessing the Impact of a Phone-based Home-visiting Program in Jordan on Caregivers’ Well-Being and Child Development

Last registered on October 21, 2020

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Assessing the Impact of a Phone-based Home-visiting Program in Jordan on Caregivers’ Well-Being and Child Development
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0006568
Initial registration date
October 18, 2020

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
October 21, 2020, 8:38 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Primary Investigator

Affiliation
New York University

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Affiliation
New York University
PI Affiliation
New York University
PI Affiliation
New York University

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2020-10-15
End date
2021-12-31
Secondary IDs
Abstract
Reach Up and Learn (RUL) is a home-visiting program that was introduced in Jamaica in 1975. The program was later adapted to serve Syrian refugees in the Syrian Response region and implemented by the International Rescue Committee. Originally, the intervention was delivered in-person by a number of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs). However, recently it has been adapted to be delivered over the phone due to the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The activities were adapted to be delivered on the phone to caregivers to provide caregivers with stimulation activities they can do with their children using basic household items (plastic bottles, bottlecaps, plastic containers…etc.) Specifically, CHVs will recruit caregivers from their social networks and enlist them in the program. They will then call them three times a month to (1) check in on their well-being; (2) deliver health messages and (3) tell them about the stimulation activities. The calls are scripted to ensure consistency of messages being relayed to caregivers. The program aims to serve children from 6-36 months of age among Syrian and Jordanian households in Mafraq, Amman, Irbid & Ramtha governorates in Jordan. Our research focuses on Irbid and Ramtha only. Each age group is composed of two-month intervals (6-8 months, 9-11 months…etc.) resulting in 10 age groups with each age group having 8 scripts for a total of 80 scripts across all age groups.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Aber, J. Lawrence et al. 2020. "Assessing the Impact of a Phone-based Home-visiting Program in Jordan on Caregivers’ Well-Being and Child Development." AEA RCT Registry. October 21. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.6568-1.0
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Reach Up and Learn (RUL) is a home-visiting program that was introduced in Jamaica in 1975. The program was later adapted to serve Syrian refugees in the Syrian Response region and implemented by the International Rescue Committee. Originally, the intervention was delivered in-person by a number of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs). However, recently it has been adapted to be delivered over the phone due to the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The activities were adapted to be delivered on the phone to caregivers to provide caregivers with stimulation activities they can do with their children using basic household items (plastic bottles, bottlecaps, plastic containers…etc.) Specifically, CHVs will recruit caregivers from their social networks and enlist them in the program. They will then call them three times a month to (1) check in on their well-being; (2) deliver health messages and (3) tell them about the stimulation activities. The calls are scripted to ensure consistency of messages being relayed to caregivers. The program aims to serve children from 6-36 months of age among Syrian and Jordanian households in Mafraq, Amman, Irbid & Ramtha governorates in Jordan. Each age group is composed of two-month intervals (6-8 months, 9-11 months…etc.) resulting in 10 age groups with each age group having 8 scripts for a total of 80 scripts across all age groups.
Intervention Start Date
2020-11-15
Intervention End Date
2021-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
(1) caregiver-reported parenting behaviors, (2) parental well-being
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
caregiver-reported child learning and development
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Using a cluster randomized trial, CHVs will be randomly assigned to either control or experimental groups. The control group will receive health messages only while the experimental group will receive health messages in addition to information on developmentally stimulating activities with children (RUL). The study will focus on Irbid and Ramtha only. Irbid has 50 CHVs and 5 supervisors while Ramtha has 27 CHVs and 3 supervisors. CHVs have caseload range of 40-45 families and supervisors have a caseload of 15 families.
Experimental Design Details
Randomization Method
Randomization done by researchers after baseline data collection.
Randomization Unit
Community Health Volunteers matched in pairs using baseline data. Randomization will occur right after baseline data collection.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
80 Community Health Volunteers (CHV's)
Sample size: planned number of observations
3059 families
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
40 Community Health Volunteers and their caseloads (average 45) will be assigned to the treatment condition.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
The total sample at baseline will consist of 77 CHVs with a total of 3,509 families. Power calculations take into account 5% attrition of CHVs and 30% attrition of families over the course of the 12 months from baseline to endline. Based on common parameters for (α=0.05; two-tailed test; (1-β)=0.8) and assumptions of ICC=0.15, level two explained R2=0.1 from baseline covariates and individual level R2=0.2 based on prior studies of similar parenting evaluation programs in other contexts (Yousafzai, Rasheed, Rizvi, Armstrong, & Bhutta, 2014), we are powered to detect MDE=0.219 standard deviations. CHVs that drop out might be replaced by new CHVs who may take over existing caseloads. If a caseload switches to another CHV, we would continue to follow those families to endline, and collect the CHV survey at endline from both the original CHV and their replacement. Still maintaining an assumption of 30% attrition of families with a total sample of 3,509 families maintaining caseloads of 77 CHVs, we are powered to detect MDE=0.219. As families drop out, CHVs will recruit new families into their caseloads. We are using an intent-to-treat approach in which participating families will be included in the study according to their respective group regardless of whether or not they received the intervention. If possible, participant drop-out will be flagged in advance and endline collected before the family becomes untraceable.
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
New York University
IRB Approval Date
2020-09-04
IRB Approval Number
CYPD 1.00.014
IRB Name
International Rescue Committee
IRB Approval Date
2020-09-17
IRB Approval Number
CYPD 1.00.014

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

There is information in this trial unavailable to the public. Use the button below to request access.

Request Information

Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials