# An evidence-based family support program for parents and children in Palestine: A theory-based intervention

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 2022 · $573,082

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Few evidence-based programs exist to support children and families affected by sociopolitical conflict, despite
documented evidence of their heightened risk for emotional and behavioral adjustment problems associated
with exposure to conflict and violence at multiple levels of the social ecology (e.g., political, community, and
family). Thus, a critical need exists for an evidence-based program to ameliorate the impact of political violence
on the overall well-being of children and families. The current study will conduct a rigorous evaluation of a
theoretically-driven, family-based intervention program in Palestine, including both the West Bank and Gaza.
Firmly grounded in the cultural context of Palestine but with broad implications for individuals exposed to
sociopolitical violence, the long-term goal of this project is to provide a family-focused intervention program
(Promoting Positive Family Futures; PPFF) that may facilitate individuals’ sense of safety and support in the
context of chronic adversity. The objective is to evaluate this intervention program in the context of a
randomized clinical trial (RCT) in the West Bank and Gaza (N=300). The central hypothesis is that the program
will have direct positive effects on family conflict, parent psychopathology and parental security in the family as
well as on adolescent emotional security in the family, with cascading effects on adolescent adjustment.
Consistent with family systems theory, we further hypothesize that treatment effects on parents will mediate on
the effects of the treatment on adolescent adjustment. The rationale is that bolstering resilience in family
systems is a key approach to promoting positive functioning in families exposed to chronic violence. The
hypothesis will be evaluated with three specific aims: 1) evaluate the efficacy of an evidence-based family
support program; 2) examine process models of treatment change, and 3) examine interrelations between
parent and child functioning. To achieve these aims, the study will be an RCT employing a longitudinal design
(N=300) with multi-method assessments at baseline (T1), post-test (T2), 6-month follow-up (T3) and 12-month
follow-up (T4). Families included in the study will be evenly divided between the West Bank (n=150) and Gaza
Strip (n=150). Families will be randomized into the intervention condition (PPFF) or treatment as usual (TAU).
Each territory will have an implementing partner, and implementing partners and investigators will work
together to ensure the study procedures are implemented in parallel across sites. Data collection will be
conducted by trained research staff from a third-party survey and policy research organization. The proposal
seeks to shift current research and clinical paradigms in these contexts by employing novel theoretical
concepts, approaches, and methodologies. The contribution will be significant by 1) further developing new
directions for empirically-based interven...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10375044
- **Project number:** 1R01MH128929-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
- **Principal Investigator:** EDWARD MARK CUMMINGS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $573,082
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-13 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10375044

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10375044, An evidence-based family support program for parents and children in Palestine: A theory-based intervention (1R01MH128929-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10375044. Licensed CC0.

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