Current Projects

Current projects

  • Group Telehealth

    The Connecting and Reflecting Experience (CARE) is a group adaptation of MIO. It has been delivered virtually throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and its efficacy is currently being studied in parents who are healthcare workers, as well as other highly stressed caregivers.

  • Home Visiting

    MIO is being adapted for implementation in the home visiting setting (e.g., Early Intervention, FIRST Steps Together) We are examining whether delivering MIO via early intervention developmental services improves postpartum outcomes for mothers in recovery from substance use disorders.

  • Neuroplasticity

    Although MIO is grounded in evidence that the maternal brain responds to infant cues differently in the context of addiction, it has yet to be examined whether intervention improves these differences. The NeMO (Neuroplasticity of Maternal OUD) study is thus examining whether MIO leads to changes in the way the maternal brain responds to infant signals (i.e., faces and cries)

  • Prior to Trauma Treatment

    Clinicians have noticed that attempting to complete trauma-focused dyadic treatment with caregivers in recovery from substance use disorders can be challenging. Researchers are thus examining whether completing MIO prior to trauma-focused dyadic treatment improves outcomes for these families.

Past Projects

  • Substance Use Treatment

    Three clinical trials have been completed in the substance use treatment setting. Following a stage model of clinical intervention research, MIO has been examined in pilot, research-clinic efficacy, and community-based efficacy randomized controlled trials in collaboration with outpatient substance use treatment clinics, including the APT Foundation.

  • Outpatient Mental Health

    Although originally developed for mothers in substance use treatment, we recognized that the principles of MIO apply to many other groups, including mothers in outpatient mental health treatment. Findings suggested that MIO was feasible and acceptable when delivered in the community-based outpatient mental health setting and that all maternal indices improved.

  • International Adaptations

    The feasibility and acceptability of adapting Mothering from the Inside Out was tested in the Western Cape of South Africa. The collaborative process was guided by principles of community-based participatory research and examined themes in the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicated preliminary promise, and several barriers and facilitators were documented.