Effects of the Attachment Video-Feedback Intervention (AVI) on families receiving child protection services in France: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Attachment-based interventions are increasingly recognized as effective with maltreating families. However, parental psychopathology may interfere with treatment effects and limit benefits for vulnerable parents. Moreover, effects on secondary outcomes remain understudied. This study examined whether the Attachment Video-feedback Intervention (AVI) diminishes child behavior problems, household chaos, and parental stress, and whether these effects are moderated by parental psychopathology. Parents ( N = 55; 52 mothers) involved with child protection services and their children ( N = 67) were randomly assigned to AVI (26 parents; 34 children) or a control group receiving Intensive Educational and Psychosocial Intervention (IEPI; 29 parents; 33 children). Parents completed questionnaires assessing parental stress, family chaos, and child behavior problems, and participated in an interview evaluating mental health. Compared to the control group, parents in the AVI group reported reduced parental stress in the Difficult Child subscale of the Parental Stress Inventory. Children showed decreases in internalizing and externalizing problems. No significant changes were observed in household chaos. Parental psychopathology moderated AVI’s effects on parenting stress, with improvements among parents with two or fewer mental health disorders. Findings support AVI’s potential within child protection services and the need to integrate mental health support for burdened parents.