The overarching goal of the Child and Adolescent Interdisciplinary Research Network (CAIRN) is to develop a heuristic model, including practical strategies, for the dissemination, implementation and maintenance of evidence-based, parent mediated interventions (E-BPMI) in child welfare settings for treatment of disruptive disorders and externalizing behavior problems in children and adolescents.

This goal will be addressed through three specific aims:

(1) To develop a well-functioning interdisciplinary research network that links intervention and services researchers from existing research collaborations with additional expertise in cultural anthropology, organizational culture and change, child welfare and mental health economics, and stakeholders from child welfare and mental health agencies. To accomplish this aim, a four-tiered structure of steering committee, investigators, collaborating consultants, and agency stakeholders is proposed, with scientific workgroups, and communication, coordination, training, and scientific review mechanisms.

(2) To develop, using a cultural exchange framework, a dissemination and implementation heuristic model with derived practical strategies for adapting existing E-BPMI for child welfare populations that can be used by child welfare stakeholders and by intervention and services researchers. This aim involves four logically staged studies: conceptual review of heuristic model issues, secondary analyses of existing datasets from two ongoing national studies, key informant survey for parent mediated interventions in current use within a nationally representative network of child welfare and linked mental health agencies, and a pilot test of Rapid Ethnographic Assessment for use in examining incentives and disincentives for implementing E-BPMI.

(3) To examine the use of E-BPMI for biological parents involved in the child welfare system, including potential model extensions to address the interface between parent mediated treatments designed to improve the skills and coping mechanisms of biological parents with existing community-based treatments that are mandated as part of reunification plans. This aim involves three pilot studies: clustering types of families an ongoing national study, focus groups with biological parents, and a small pilot test.