Associations between trauma exposure and irritability within the family unit: a network approach.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric irritability is a pervasive psychiatric symptom, yet its etiology remains elusive. While trauma exposure may contribute to the development of irritability, empirical research is limited. This study examined the prevalence of irritability among trauma-exposed children, identified factors that differentiate trauma-exposed children with and without irritability, and employed a network analysis to uncover associations between irritability and trauma exposure in the family unit. METHODS: Sample included 676 children (56.3% male, mean age = 9.67 ± 3.7 years) and their parents referred by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families to Fathers for Change - a psychotherapy intervention designed to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV) and child maltreatment. Child's trauma exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and irritability were assessed pre-intervention using self- and caregiver-report. Parents self-reported their childhood and adulthood trauma exposures, PTSD symptoms, irritability, psychopathology, and IPV. RESULTS: Across caregiver- and child-reports, 16%-17% of children exhibited irritability. Irritable children experienced greater trauma exposure, interpersonal violence, emotional abuse, and PTSD severity. They had caregivers, particularly mothers, with greater trauma histories, IPV, and psychopathology. Network analysis revealed 10 nodes directly correlated to child's irritability including child's PTSD severity, parental IPV (specifically psychological violence), and parental psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide initial empirical evidence that pediatric irritability is linked to trauma exposure, suggesting trauma histories be considered in the diagnosis and treatment of irritability. Interventions addressing caregiver trauma, IPV, and psychopathology may ameliorate pediatric irritability. Future studies could benefit from adopting network approaches with longitudinal or time series data to elucidate causality and points of intervention.

Reducing Family Violence Through Child Welfare Intervention: A Propensity Score-Matched Study of Fathers for Change.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent, costly, and detrimental to children's health and development. It often co-occurs with child abuse and neglect. Most children referred to child protective services (CPS) have witnessed IPV and are at increased risk for subsequent exposure, as well as repeat maltreatment. For CPS referred children, there is often a missed opportunity to interrupt family violence and prevent future occurrences. Fathers for Change (F4C) is a family level intervention designed to reduce IPV by improving emotion regulation and reflective functioning in fathers. To date, no study has examined whether F4C is associated with reduced recidivism in families referred to CPS. Using propensity score matching (PSM) to simulate an experimental design, the current study tests the hypothesis that families with fathers who completed F4C will have significantly lower rates of new CPS reports over a 12-month period compared to a PSM sample of families of fathers not referred to F4C. Data were extracted from a state CPS electronic case records system on all accepted child maltreatment reports received between January 1, 2015, and April 30, 2020. PSM was successful in balancing potential confounders (e.g., race, number of prior maltreatment reports, risk level, date of report), resulting in a comparison group approximate to one that could be achieved via a randomized control trial. Logistic regression analyses of 1:1 PSM pairs revealed that control fathers were 2.4 times more likely to have a repeat maltreatment report during the 12-month follow-up period than F4C fathers. These findings suggest that F4C may provide an effective approach for reducing risk of repeat maltreatment among CPS referred children with identified IPV exposure.

Self-reported reflective functioning and father-child interactions in a sample of fathers who have used intimate partner violence.

Reflective functioning (RF) has been found to be associated with mother-child interactions, but less is known about the association of fathers' self and child-focused RF and father-child relationships.  Fathers who have histories of intimate partner violence (IPV) are known to have poor RF, which may impact their father-child interactions.  The current study was designed to examine how types of RF are associated with father-child relationships.  Pretreatment assessments and recorded, coded father-child play interactions were used to examine associations among fathers' history of adverse childhood experiences (ACES), RF and coded father-child play interactions in a sample of 47 fathers with a history of IPV use in the last 6 months with their coparent.  Fathers' ACES and their child's mental states (CM) were associated with father-child dyadic play interactions.  Fathers with greater ACES and higher scores on CM had the most dyadic tension and constriction during play interactions.  Those with high ACES but low CM had scores similar to those with low ACES and low CM.  These results indicate that fathers who have used IPV and have a history of significant adversity may benefit from interventions to increase their child-focused RF and further improve their interactions with their children.

Se ha determinado que el Funcionamiento con Reflexión (RF) está asociado con las interacciones madre-niño, pero menos se conoce acerca de la asociación del propio RF de los papás y enfocado en el niño con las relaciones papá-niño. A los papás que cuentan con un historial de violencia con la pareja íntima (IPV) se les conoce por tener un débil RF, lo cual puede impactar sus interacciones papá-niño. El presente estudio se diseñó para examinar cómo los tipos de RF se asocian con las relaciones papá-niño. Las evaluaciones anteriores al tratamiento y el juego papá niño grabado y codificado se usaron para examinar las asociaciones entre el historial de los papás sobre experiencias adversas de niñez (ACES), RF y las codificadas interacciones papá-niño en un grupo muestra de 47 papás con un historial de uso de IPV en los últimos 6 meses con sus co-progenitores. Las ACES de los papás y ciertamente de los estados mentales de sus niños (CM) se asociaron con las interacciones de juego diádicas papá-niño. Los papás con mayor cantidad de ACES y más altos puntajes en CM presentaron la tensión y constricción más diádica durante las interacciones de juego. Aquellos con alto número de ACES, pero un bajo CM presentaron puntajes similares a aquellos con bajo número de ACES y un bajo CM. Estos resultados indican que los papás que han usado IPV y que tienen un historial de adversidad significativo pudieran beneficiarse de intervenciones para incrementar su RF con enfoque en el niño a fin de mejorar sus interacciones con sus niños.

Il est établi que le fonctionnement de réflexion (en anglais Reflective functioning, ici abrégé selon le français FR) est lié aux interactions mère-enfant mais on sait peu de choses sur le lien entre le FR sur soi et l'enfant des pères et les relations père-enfant. On sait que les pères ayant un passé de violence entre partenaires intimes (ici VPI) ont un FR diminué qui peut impacter leurs interactions père-enfant. Cette étude a été conçue afin d'examiner la manière dont les types de FR sont liés aux relations père-enfant. Des évaluations pré-traitement et des jeux père-enfant enregistrés et codés ont été utilisés afin d'examiner les liens entre l'histoire d'expériences négatives durant l'enfance (ACE) des pères, le FR et les interactions de jeu père-enfant codées chez un échantillon de 47 pères ayant un passé de VPI dans les six derniers mois avec leur coparent. Les ACE des pères et certainement des états mentaux de leur enfant (CM en anglais) ont été liés aux interactions de jeu dyadique père-enfant. Les pères avec plus de ACE et des scores CM plus élevés avaient le plus de tension dyadique et de constriction durant les interactions de jeu. Ceux avec des ACE élevés mais des CM bas avaient des scores similaires à ceux avec des ACE faibles et des CM faibles. Ces résultats indiquent que les pères ayant fait preuve de VPI qui ont un passé d'adversité importante peuvent bénéficier d'interventions pour accroître leur FR focalisé sur l'enfant afin d'améliorer leurs interactions avec leurs enfants.

Randomized controlled trial of a prenatal focused coparenting consultation for unmarried black fathers and mothers: One-year infant and family outcomes.

In the infant mental health field, scant conceptual attention has been given to coparenting and family adaptations of non-white family systems, with no evidence-based, community-informed coparenting interventions responsive to unmarried Black mothers' and fathers' life circumstances. This study examined 1-year post-partum child and family outcomes of a novel, modest dosage (six sessions) prenatal focused coparenting consultation (FCC) using randomized controlled trial methodology. One-hundred-thirty-eight expectant families (one or both parents identified as Black/African American) were randomized to an intervention (N = 70) or treatment-as-usual (TAU; control) condition (N = 68). TAU families received navigational support in accessing existing community services for pregnant families. Intervention families received TAU plus 6 dyadic FCC sessions led by a Black male-female Community Mentor team. When infants were three and 12 months old, parents reported on coparenting, father engagement, interparental aggression, depressive symptoms, and infant social and emotional adjustment. Intent-to-treat analyses focusing on 12-month post-partum data indicated significant intervention effects on coparenting, interparental psychological aggression, and infants' emotional adjustment. Improvement was also seen in depression and father engagement, with gains for both groups. Results suggest FCC delivered by same-race Community Mentors to unmarried Black coparents transitioning to parenthood supports infant and family adaptation during the first year of life.

En el campo de salud mental infantil, se le ha puesto escasa atención conceptual a la compartida crianza y a las adaptaciones familiares en sistemas de familias no blancas, sin intervenciones sobre la compartida crianza basadas en la evidencia o con información comunitaria que sean sensibles a las circunstancias de mamás y papás de raza negra no casados. Este estudio examinó los resultados en el niño y la familia al año después del parto de la novedosa, prenatal Consulta de Enfoque en la Compartida Crianza (FCC) con número modesto de 6 sesiones, usando metodología de ensayo controlado al azar. Se asignó al azar ciento treinta y ocho familias durante el embarazo (uno o ambos progenitores identificados como negro o afroamericano) a una condición de intervención (N = 70) o de Tratamiento Usual (TAU; control) (N = 68). Las familias del grupo TAU recibieron apoyo direccional para lograr acceso a los servicios comunitarios existentes para familias durante el embarazo. Las familias del grupo de Intervención recibieron TAU más 6 sesiones diádicas de FCC dirigidas por un equipo comunitario de mentores compuesto por un hombre y una mujer negros. Cuando los infantes tenían tres y 12 meses de edad, los progenitores reportaron acerca de la compartida crianza, la participación del papá, la agresión entre progenitores, síntomas depresivos, y el ajuste social y emocional del infante. Los análisis con Intención de Tratar enfocados en los datos a 12 meses después del parto indicaron significativos efectos de la intervención en la compartida crianza, la agresión sicológica entre progenitores y el ajuste emocional de los infantes. También se notó mejoría en la depresión y en la participación del papá, con beneficios para ambos grupos. Los resultados indican que la FCC que dirigen mentores comunitarios de la misma raza a parejas negras no casadas en transición a ser padres apoya la adaptación del infante y la familia durante el primer año de vida.

Dans le domaine de la santé mentale du nourrisson peu d'attention conceptuelle a été donnée au co-parentage et aux adaptations de la famille dans des systèmes familiaux non-blancs, avec aucune intervention basée sur l'évidence et informée par la communauté répondant aux circonstances de vie des mères et des pères noirs. Cette étude a examiné les résultats pour l'enfant à un mois post-partum et la famille d'un nouveau dosage modéré (6 session) de la Consultation Ciblée de Co-parentage (en anglais Focused Coparenting Consultation, soit FCC) prénatale en utilisant une méthodologie d'essai contrôlé randomisé. Cent trente-huit familles attendant un enfant (un ou les deux parents identifié(s) comme Américains noirs/africains) ont été randomisés pour une intervention (N = 70) ou une condition Traitement-Comme d'Habitude (TCH; contrôle) (N = 68). Les familles TCH ont reçu du soutien à la navigation pour accéder aux services communautaires pour les familles enceintes. Les familles de l'intervention ont reçu le TCH plus 6 session FCC dyadiques menées par une équipe de Mentor Communautaire noire et formée d'un homme et d'une femme. Quand les bébés ont eu trois et 12 mois, les parents ont fait état du co-parentage, de l'engagement du père, de l'agression inter-parentale, de symptômes dépressifs, et de l'ajustement social et émotionnel du bébé. Des analyses en intention de traiter portant sur les données post-partum à 12 mois ont indiqué des effets importants de l'intervention pour le co-parentage, l'agression psychologique inter-parentale, et l'ajustement émotionnel des bébés. Des améliorations ont également été vues dans la dépression et l'engagement du père, avec des gains pour les deux troupes. Les résultats suggèrent que la FCC faite par des Mentors Communautaires de la même race à des coparents noirs non mariés transitionnant à la parentalité soutient le bébé et l'adaptation de la famille durant la première année de la vie.

Agreement Between Mother and Father Reports of IPV in a Sample of Child Protection Referred Coparents.

Accurate assessment of intimate partner violence (IPV) using standardized measures can be a challenge as there is often discrepancy between partner reports, with previous research indicating very poor concordance between partners using the Conflict Tactics Scale. This study examines agreement between coparent reports of IPV using the Abusive Behavior Inventory (ABI) from 282 coparent dyads referred for Fathers for Change, an IPV intervention by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Differences in partner concordance using intraclass correlations were examined based on type of violence, marital status/cohabitation, race/ethnicity and substance misuse problems. Intraclass correlations were also calculated for eight power and control items unique to the ABI. Overall agreement between coparents was poor. However, there was greater concordance about mothers' who have used IPV toward fathers than fathers' use of IPV toward mothers. There was lower agreement between reports of physical than psychological IPV especially for white coparents. All types of coparent relationships showed low levels of agreement, but cohabiting coparents showed the highest levels of agreement when reporting fathers' IPV. In cases with one parent exhibiting substance misuse, concordance between reports of IPV increased. Results are consistent with prior findings that women report higher IPV than fathers even when assessments are done in the context of a DCF IPV treatment referral.

Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener for Adults (STRESS-A): Validation in a child welfare sample of mothers and fathers with active domestic violence.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with impaired parenting, child mental health problems, and family dysfunction. Public service agencies, such as child welfare, may serve as critical points of entry to services for families impacted by caregiver PTSD; however, assessment of trauma and PTSD among caregivers is not always systematically incorporated into service planning. The Structured Trauma-Related Experiences and Symptoms Screener for Adults (STRESS-A) was developed to address barriers to screening and assessment by providing an easy-to-administer tool for use by clinically and nonclinically trained professionals. The current study evaluated the reliability and validity of the STRESS-A among fathers and mothers (N = 1245) referred by child protective services (CPS) to receive an intervention to reduce domestic violence. METHODS: Caregivers enrolled in the intervention completed the STRESS-A, along with measures of co-occurring mental health concerns. RESULTS: The STRESS-A demonstrated satisfactory internal reliability across the full sample and within maternal and paternal subsamples. Construct validity was supported by well-fitting models of the DSM-5 symptom structure. Convergent validity was supported by strong correlations with scores on measures of commonly occurring comorbid symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety). Measurement invariance testing revealed that PTSD symptom factor loadings may not be equivalent between mothers and fathers when using the DSM-5 four-factor, DSM-IV three-factor, or one-factor models. CONCLUSION: The study supports the STRESS-A as a reliable and valid tool for measuring PTSD symptoms in caregivers with current domestic violence and CPS involvement. Findings indicate further research investigating symptom structure differences between mothers and fathers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The child and family traumatic stress intervention: Factors associated with symptom reduction for children receiving treatment.

OBJECTIVE: We examine factors associated with changes in posttraumatic stress symptoms for children following completion of an early and brief, trauma-focused mental health treatment that engages children together with their caregivers, with the child as the identified patient. METHOD: The Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI), a brief (5-8 session) trauma-focused mental health treatment designed to reduce trauma symptoms in the aftermath of traumatic experiences in children aged 7 years and older. CFTSI has been widely disseminated in Child Advocacy Centers (CAC) and community treatment clinics nationally. We report on results of a naturalistic treatment study of CFTSI implementation without a comparison group that includes 1190 child caregiver dyads from 13 community-based clinical settings. RESULTS: Mixed modeling revealed a significant reduction in child reported posttraumatic stress scores from pre to post-CFTSI. Scores on the Child Posttraumatic Checklist (CPSS) declined an average of 8.74 points from pre to post-CFTSI (p < .0001). There were no statistically significant differences in CPSS score changes based on age, gender, ethnicity, race, number of prior trauma types the child had experienced, caregiver posttraumatic stress symptoms, child relationship to the perpetrator, nature of event or length of time to begin treatment. CONCLUSION: This study provides further evidence that CFTSI can reduce child posttraumatic stress symptoms when implemented by community-based providers.

Early life adversity and males: Biology, behavior, and implications for fathers' parenting.

Fathers have an important and unique influence on child development, but influences on fathers' parenting have been vastly understudied in the scientific literature. In particular, very little empirical research exists on the effects of early life adversity (ELA; e.g. childhood maltreatment, parental separation) on later parenting among fathers. In this review, we draw from both the human and non-human animal literature to examine the effects of ELA, specifically among males, in the following areas: 1) neurobiology and neurocognitive functioning, 2) hormones and hormone receptors, 3) gene-environment interactions and epigenetics, and 4) behavior and development. Based on these findings, we present a conceptual model to describe the biological and behavioral pathways through which exposure to ELA may influence parenting among males, with a goal of guiding future research and intervention development in this area. Empirical studies are needed to improve understanding of the relationship between ELA and father's parenting, inform the development of paternal and biparental interventions, and prevent intergenerational transmission of ELA.

A culturally grounded prenatal coparenting intervention: Results of a randomized controlled trial with unmarried Black parents.

This study examines the efficacy of a prenatal intervention designed to promote healthy coparenting relationships in families where low-income, unmarried mothers and fathers were expecting a first baby together. One hundred thirty-eight Black and mixed-race mother-father dyads participated. Coparent dyads were randomly assigned to either a treatment as usual (TAU) group, receiving referrals and navigation support to existing community services (control), or to TAU plus invitation to a series of six dyadic Focused Coparenting Consultation (FCC) sessions led by a male-female mentor team (intervention). Seventy-one percent of those prenatally assessed were later reassessed at 3 months postpartum. Both mothers and fathers contributed reports of coparenting, father engagement, physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV), and depressive symptoms. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated: (a) some evidence that mothers in the intervention group reported more positive coparenting communication at 3 months postpartum than did control group mothers; (b) mothers in the intervention group reported significantly more time spent by fathers with the child than did control group mothers; (c) parents in the intervention group had significant reductions in psychological IPV compared to parents in the control group; and (d) both mothers and fathers showed reductions in self-reported depression over time, with no differential impact of group. Findings suggest that the FCC intervention may produce modest but important benefits for unmarried, low-income Black coparents in the transition to parenthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The prefrontal cortex in a pandemic: Restoring functions with system-, family-, and individual-focused interventions.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unanticipated and uncontrollable chronic stressor that is detrimental to the mental and behavioral health of children and families, particularly those from disadvantaged and marginalized backgrounds. Chronic stress impairs a myriad of prefrontal cortical functions, important for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, and has consequences on dyadic parent-child functioning. Informed by neuroscience and clinical evidence, sensitive parenting is a vital avenue of intervention that buffers against the toxic effects of COVID-19 on parent-child mental health. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we first discuss the neurobiological, psychological, and behavioral mechanisms behind exacerbated mental health risks in families. We then highlight the role of sensitive parenting as a buffer against stress-related mental health problems, and conclude with recommendations for systemic-, family-, and individual-interventions to most effectively address stress-related mental health problems and their impact on children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Correction: Expectant Mothers Maximizing Opportunities: Maternal Characteristics Moderate Multifactorial Prenatal Stress in the Prediction of Birth Weight in a Sample of Children Adopted at Birth.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141881.].

A randomized pilot trial of two parenting interventions for fathers in residential substance use disorder treatment.

Residential substance misuse treatment programs for men typically do not integrate treatment for intimate partner violence (IPV) or parenting despite significant overlap between substance misuse, IPV and child maltreatment. A randomized trial compared two fatherhood focused interventions in 6-month residential substance misuse treatment programs. Fathers for Change (F4C) is an integrated intervention targeting IPV and child maltreatment. Dads 'n' Kids (DNK) is a psychoeducational intervention focused on child development and behavioral parenting skills. Sixty-two fathers were randomly assigned to F4C or DNK. They received 12 weeks of individual treatment while in the residential facility and were offered 4 aftercare sessions following discharge. They were assessed prior to treatment, at the time of residential discharge, following completion of the intervention booster sessions, and 3 months following intervention. Overall, both groups showed significant reductions in affect dysregulation, anger, and IPV. F4C fathers showed significantly greater decreases in affect dysregulation problems. There were no significant differences between groups on IPV but men who received F4C may have been less likely to use substances after leaving residential treatment. Integration of fatherhood focused interventions were possible and welcomed by residents at the facilities. F4C showed some benefit over DNK in terms of affect dysregulation symptoms and substance use relapse.

Where's Dad? The Importance of Integrating Fatherhood and Parenting Programming into Substance Use Treatment for Men.

Large numbers of men enter substance use disorder treatment each year, yet very little attention is paid to the fatherhood and parenting status of these men. Substance use treatment programs rarely incorporate a parenting component into their treatment planning, despite increased success of women's treatment programs that focus on gender and motherhood. This paper provides: 1) a review of the literature on the fathering of substance using men, what has been learned from substance use disorder treatment for mothers, and the implications for children and families; 2) pilot quantitative and qualitative outcomes on implementation of a fatherhood focused intervention for men in a residential substance use treatment program; and 3) recommendations for the application of these findings for fathers in substance use disorder treatment and the implications of program modifications and increased focus on fathers for child welfare.

The Moderating Role of Attachment on the Association between Childhood Maltreatment and Adolescent Dating Violence.

Approximately twenty percent of female and ten percent of male adolescents report violence in their dating relationships and there is a significant association between dating violence in adolescence and later perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood. Identification of factors associated with dating violence can inform intervention and prevention efforts. This study was designed to examine the associations of early childhood maltreatment experience and involvement in adolescent dating violence. It also aimed to identify the moderating effect of insecure attachment styles on these associations. One hundred fifty adolescent who participated in a larger longitudinal study on prenatal drug exposure participated in this study. Participants completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment at a standard follow-up visit between the ages of 15-19 years. Approximately 18 month later, they completed questionnaires on their attachment styles and level of dating violence perpetration and victimization. Hierarchical regression modeling revealed a significant main effect for childhood abuse but not insecure attachment on perpetration and victimization of dating violence. Avoidant attachment significantly moderated the relationship between childhood abuse exposure and dating violence: For adolescents who reported an avoidant attachment style, an increase in the level of experienced childhood maltreatment predicted significantly higher increases in victimization by dating violence, compared to those did not have avoidant attachment. Results suggest adolescents with child maltreatment history and avoidant attachment styles may be at higher risk for involvement in dating violence and support intervention efforts for fostering attachment relationship to attenuate the association between early exposures to maltreatment and involvement in dating violence later.

Research domain criteria and the study of trauma in children: Implications for assessment and treatment research.

By definition, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) requires exposure to a traumatic event. Yet, the DSM diagnostic requirements for children and adolescents for PTSD may fail to capture traumatized youth with significant distress and functional impairment. Many important studies have utilized PTSD diagnosis as a mechanism for grouping individuals for comparative studies examining brain functioning, neuroendocrinology, genetics, attachment, and cognition; however, focusing only on those with the diagnosis of PTSD can miss the spectrum of symptoms and difficulties that impact children who experience trauma and subsequent impairment. Some studying child trauma have focused on examining brain and biology of those with exposure and potential impairment rather than only those with PTSD. This line of inquiry, complementary to PTSD specific studies, has aided our understanding of some of the changes in brain structure and neuroregulatory systems at different developmental periods following traumatic exposure. Application of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework proposed by NIMH to the study of child trauma exposure and subsequent impairment is an opportunity to examine domains of function and how they are impacted by trauma. Research to date has focused largely in the areas of negative valence, regulatory, and cognitive systems, however those studying complex or developmental trauma have identified an array of domains that are impacted which map onto many of the RDoC categories. This paper will review the relevant literature associated with child trauma as it relates to the RDoC domains, outline areas of needed research, and describe their implications for treatment and the advancement of the field.

Integrating intimate partner violence and parenting intervention into residential substance use disorder treatment for fathers.

Despite positive outcomes for the incorporation of gender- and motherhood-focused programing within substance use disorder treatment programs for women, a focus on gender and fatherhood has not been the focus of intervention or evaluation research for men in substance use disorder treatment. This was a mixed method study to examine the initial feasibility of incorporating a fatherhood-focused intervention within a substance use disorder treatment program for men. Forty-four fathers enrolled in a coordinated intervention for intimate partner violence and parenting. Interviews were conducted at baseline and follow-up to assess the impact of the intervention on anger, hostile thinking and emotion regulation problems. Focus groups were also conducted with the participants to gain further insight into their needs as fathers and their recommendations for interventions that they would find helpful. Results indicated a high prevalence of anger related thoughts at baseline that significantly decreased at follow up; there were also significant reductions in affect regulation problems. Importantly, 84.1% of participants completed the program in its entirety and were highly satisfied with the content. These findings suggest that Fathers for Change can be implemented, successfully, in a men's residential treatment program.