ABC's active ingredients: Parent coaches’ in vivo feedback predicts maternal sensitivity among low‐income predominantly Latina mothers

Based on principles of implementation science and precision home visiting, this study tested parent coaches’ in vivo feedback as a predictor of sensitive parenting behaviors in 91 low‐income mothers of infants (infant M age = 12.73 months, SD = 4.17). All participants lived in the United States. Most (87%) of the mothers identified as Latina. All participants had received Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch‐Up (ABC), an evidence‐based program consisting of 10 home visits provided by a trained parent coach. The ABC program's principal fidelity criterion is a specific type of in vivo (real‐time) feedback termed “in‐the‐moment” (ITM) commenting. OLS regressions revealed that quantity, quality, and behavioral targets of the ABC parent coaches’ ITM comments predicted objectively rated post‐intervention maternal sensitivity in two contexts, semi‐structured play and mild stress. Findings are discussed in terms of their role in illuminating (a) ABC program impacts and (b) considerations for program implementation and dissemination.