# CE23-003 - Caregiver Relational Responsiveness (RR): An Understudied Fidelity Construct as a Mechanism to Increase Protective Factors Against Maltreatment.

> **NIH ALLCDC K01** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2024 · $150,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Maltreatment prevention programs can promote public health by building protective
factors among at-risk families. To maximize their benefits, programs should be
delivered as intended by maintaining fidelity. Participant responsiveness (PR) is an
under-studied fidelity construct defined as the degree to which participants
“respond to or are engaged by” intervention at the behavioral, attitudinal, and
relational levels. However, previous studies mostly focus on behavioral and
attitudinal responsiveness such as attendance, follow-through, and satisfaction.
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of participant Relational
Responsiveness (RR) as a mechanism to increase protective factors against child
maltreatment among the caregivers participating in the Family Success Network
(FSN). The FSN is a community-based maltreatment prevention program piloted to
serve 3 under-served counties in Ohio with high maltreatment rates. In FSN,
coaches and families collaboratively develop a tailored plan of services designed to
increase family protective factors. Focusing on primary and secondary prevention,
FSN serves families with no history of substantiated maltreatment. Leveraging a
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) funded by the Children’s Bureau, the proposed
study will pursue the following aims; 1) To examine the structural validity of the
Relational Responsiveness (RR) measure among FSN participants; 2) To
determine the degree to which RR mediates FSN effects and whether RR’s
mediation effects are moderated by caregiver race and gender; 3) To identify
contexts within which RR’s mediation effects are activated or inhibited using a
realist informed mixed-method approach. The accompanying training goals include
developing competence in conducting 1) rigorous experimental studies examining
implementation outcomes and program effectiveness; 2) mechanistic research
using a realist-informed mixed-method design; 3) stakeholder-engaged research.
The training and research will be overseen by Dr. Johnson-Motoyama, a professor
in the College of Social Work at the Ohio State University (primary mentor). The
results from this study will support a proposal for an R21/RO1 type II hybrid
implementation and effectiveness trial in which I will engage stakeholders to
develop and text tailored implementation strategies targeting RR.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10904599
- **Project number:** 5K01CE003543-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Deborah J. Moon
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $150,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2025-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10904599

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10904599, CE23-003 - Caregiver Relational Responsiveness (RR): An Understudied Fidelity Construct as a Mechanism to Increase Protective Factors Against Maltreatment. (5K01CE003543-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10904599. Licensed CC0.

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