Research
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Baziyants, G. A., Dodge, K. A., Goodman, W. B., Bai, Y., Murphy, R. A., & O’Donnell, K. (2025). Promoting Long-Term Parent and Caregiver Mental Health Through Universal Postnatal Nurse Home Visiting: Intervention Effects and Mechanisms of Action. Prevention Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-025-01827-6. PMCID: PMC12345448 PMID: 40748529
Abstract: Poor mental health affects millions of parents and caregivers each year. In the absence of intervention, the duration and magnitude of mental health symptoms can have an adverse impact on parent and caregiver well-being, parenting practices, and subsequent children’s development. Although home visiting is hypothesized to impact parent mental health, most studies do not demonstrate sustained benefits over time. Family Connects (FC) is a short-term, universal postnatal nurse home visiting program designed to support children and families. Evaluations of FC demonstrate 6-month impacts on parent mental health, but longer-term (5-years post intervention) benefits have not been investigated, nor the potential mechanisms of the sustained effect. Every resident birthing family in Durham, NC, over an 18-month period (total n = 4777) was randomly assigned by birth date to FC or control condition. Implementation was strong, allowing an intent-to-treat evaluation of the model on maternal mental health. At infant age 60 months, a random, representative sample of parents (FC n = 201; control n = 200) was interviewed by condition-blind researchers with two screening instruments, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Mental Health Continuum scale (MHC – SF). Regression analyses with relevant covariates tested hypothesized (one-tailed) effects on these self-report scales. Parents randomly assigned to FC were significantly (p < .02) less likely to receive a depression score in the clinical range, reported a lower number of depressive symptoms (p < .04), and received better scores for social well-being (p< .04). Quality of the home environment (p< 0.10) was a significant mediator of intervention impact on later parent mental health.
Fountain, A., Baziyants, G. A., Mahmood, A., Viall, A., Houry, D., & Wong, C. (2025). Public Health Supports Whole Health. Value in Health: The Journal of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 28(5), 709-711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jval.2025.02.014. PMID: 40266184
Abstract: Protecting whole health requires a health ecosystem that is intentionally coordinated where multiple sectors, including healthcare, public health, community agencies, and policymakers, work together. Here, we outline three tactical areas central to CDC’s work to break down siloes and integrate public health with health care: payment, quality measurement, and workforce development.
Baziyants, G. A., Dodge, K. A., Bai, Y., Goodman, W. B., O’Donnell, K., & Murphy, R. A. (2023). The Effects of a Universal Short-Term Home Visiting Program: Two-Year Impact on Parenting Behavior and Parent Mental Health. Child Abuse & Neglect, 140, 106140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106140. PMCID: PMC10351327
Abstract:
Background: At the time of childbirth, families face heightened levels of unmet need. These needs, if left unmet, can lead parents to engage in less positive parenting practices, which in turn, increase the risk of child maltreatment. Family Connects (FC) is a universal postnatal nurse home-visiting program designed to prevent child maltreatment by supporting all families in a community through one to three visits to improve parent mental health and parenting behaviors. A randomized controlled trial of FC demonstrated improving positive parenting and reducing postpartum depression through age 6 months.
Objective: To determine sustained (2-year) impact of random assignment to FC on parenting behavior and parent mental health and identify heterogeneity of effects.
Participants and Setting: A representative subsample of 496 families that had been randomized to FC (255 treatment; 241 control) of infants born between July 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, in Durham County, North Carolina.
Methods: Demographic characteristics were collected through hospital discharge data. Treatment-blinded interviewers collected maternal reports of parenting behavior and mental health at infant age two years. Moderation and subgroup analyses were conducted to estimate heterogeneity in impact of FC.
Results: Mothers assigned to FC engaged in more self-reported positive parenting relative to control mothers (B=0.21; p<0.05). Hispanic mothers assigned to FC reported greater sense of parenting competence (B=1.28; p<0.05). No significant main effect differences were identified for negative parenting, maternal depression, or father involvement.
Conclusion: Assignment to FC was associated with improvements in population-level self-reported scores of positive parenting 2 years post-intervention.
Manuscripts Under Review
Baziyants, G.A., Barton, N., Bard D., & Milojevich, H. (Under editorial review). A Qualitative Study of Internal Engagement Factors in Home Visiting Programs.
Abstract:
Background:Home visiting (HV) services have reduced child abuse and neglect, boosted the use of maternal prenatal health care services, and enhanced child and maternal outcomes. Yet, services remain underutilized by eligible populations. Moreover, those who do enroll in services often drop out before receiving the full dosage of home visits.
Objectives: The present study utilized the family engagement framework developed by the Cross-Model Collaboration and Data Sharing project (MODS) to examine internal constructs of engagement. Specifically, the primary study aim was to understand the reasons why eligible caregivers elect not to enroll in evidenced-based home visiting programs.
Methods: Participants included 18 parents ages 21 through 43 years, all identifying as female. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted on Zoom and then transcribed. Thematic analysis was conducted to draw out themes and subthemes using NVivo 14.
Results: Parents perceived the in-home service model and HV provision of support as appealing aspects of HV. Most parents were satisfied with their current areas of parenting but expressed interest in learning new parenting strategies. Parents needed more information about HV providers to aid their decision to enroll and simplified enrollment processes.
Conclusions for Practice: Results suggest maintaining the in-home service delivery model but enhancing HV curricula to improve program relevance by addressing the needs of diverse family contexts, such as families with multiple children. Minimization of administrative burdens and disclosure of provider qualifications may also promote greater enrollment in HV among eligible families.
Reilly, E., Caballero, R., Baziyants, G.A., Dodge, K. A., Goodman, W. B., & Milojevich, H. (Under editorial review). Associations Between Mothers Hostile Attribution Towards Infants and Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations.
Abstract: Understanding the parent psychological processes involved in maltreating a child is important for designing interventions to prevent child maltreatment and improve child development at a population level. The current study tested the association between the hostile bias in maternal attributions of infant intentionality at age 6 months and investigations of child maltreatment through age 60 months in a community sample of 549 families participating in a randomized trial of the Family Connects (FC) intervention. In addition, moderation of the relation between hostile intentionality bias and maltreatment by FC and family demographic variables was tested. Maternal hostile intentionality bias at six months of infant age was associated with a greater likelihood of that child experiencing maltreatment investigations by child protective services through five years of age (B = 3.33, p < 0.05). Although family demographics were associated with the presence of maltreatment investigations, these demographics were not associated with hostile intentionality bias. Neither assignment to FC nor family demographics moderated the association between hostile intentionality bias and child maltreatment investigations. As early as six months of age, a mother’s attribution that their infant acted with hostile intent toward them increases risk for child maltreatment before kindergarten and could be an important target for interventions aimed at preventing child maltreatment.
In progress
Baziyants, G. A., Dodge, K. A., Bai, Y., Goodman, W. B., O’Donnell, K., & Murphy, R. A. (In progress). Positive Parenting as a Mediator of Children’s Literacy: Evidence from a Universal Nurse Home Visiting Program.
Baziyants, G.A., Bard, D.,& Milojevich, H. (In progress). Developmental Monitoring Mobile App Use: Perspectives from MIECHV Providers.
Bai, Y., Dodge, K. A., Goodman, W. B., Baziyants, G. A., Murphy, R. A., & O’Donnell, K. (In progress). Family Connects Intervention Effects on Educational Outcomes in Kindergarten.