A randomised controlled trial investigating the effect of the Daily Growth parenting app on emotion regulation in parents/carers and their children aged 2-5 years

The research project will trial Daily Growth, a smartphone parenting app for parents and carers of children aged 2-5 years. Daily Growth will (1) offer participants brief 3-minute ‘micro’ video intervention resources that provide in-the-moment parenting support; (2) tailor each video resource to specific parenting situations; and (3) offer participants three types of parenting support: Emotion Coaching; Active Play; and Wayapa Wuurrk (Indigenous-led). The study aims to investigate whether providing parents with three different types of parenting programs improves outcomes, engagement, and retention compared to no intervention or just one type of parenting program. The randomised controlled trial will compare five groups. Participants will be randomised to 1 of 5 groups (Groups 1-5), with participants in Groups 1-4 being compared to those in Group 5. The five trial groups are: 1. Group 1 (n=150 participants): Control condition receiving no active intervention, but a link to the Raising Children Network website, a free Australian government parenting website overseen by the Department of Social Services. 2. Group 2 (n=100 participants): Control condition receiving one type of parenting intervention (Emotion Coaching). 3. Group 3 (n=100 participants): Control condition receiving one type of parenting intervention (Active Play). 4. Group 4 (n=100 participants): Control condition receiving one type of parenting intervention (Wayapa Wuurrk). 5. Group 5 (n=1,200 participants): Intervention condition randomised in the moment to receive one of three types of tailored micro-intervention. Over 6 weeks, participants will receive a random combination of all three types of programs. After downloading the Daily Growth app, participants will be provided with a Plain Language Statement and asked to consent to participation. Following this, participants will be required to register with Daily Growth and will then be given access to Daily Growth, which begins with an introductory video tailored to the participant’s group. Participants will then complete a 20-minute baseline survey. After completing the baseline survey, participants will begin the 6-week intervention period, during which they will be prompted twice daily (7:00am; 7:00pm) to complete a 1-minute pre-intervention survey on their smartphone and asked whether they want support in that moment. Participants will receive a further reminder notification 2 hours later (9:00am/pm) if the 1-minute survey has not been completed and will have 4 hours to complete the survey before it expires. If participants request support in the 1-minute survey, they will be invited to select from a list of 30 common parenting situations and provided with a resource. Group 2-5 participants will be provided with a 3-minute video resource tailored to the selected situation. Group 1 participants will be provided with a link to the Raising Children Network website. Regardless of condition, all participants will be invited to complete a 1-minute post-intervention survey 15 minutes later, which will remain open until the next 1-minute pre-intervention survey. The micro-interventions have been developed for Daily Growth and consist of 90 three-minute videos that aim to provide parents with advice about difficult parenting situations. Each video will offer parenting support grounded in one of three parenting programs (Emotion Coaching; Active Play; Wayapa Wuurrk), with each program offering 30 unique videos. The parenting situations, and the themes they sit under, are listed below: • Eating/Food: Eating challenges; sitting for meals; wanting treats • Morning/Evening routine: Going to bed; not staying in bed; bathing/showering; brushing teeth • Siblings/Peers: Conflict between children; sharing difficulties; refusing to play; fighting in the car • Car/Road/Safety: Crossing the road; child out of sight; fighting in the car • Clingy/Resistant: Clingy with you; clingy with others; stopping an activity; sitting for meals • Screen time: Demanding screens; turning off screens • Getting dressed: Resisting dressing; putting shoes on; dressing for the weather; refusing help to dress In addition, all 3 programs will offer a video about general meltdowns, general unhappiness/whinging, general resisting, and feeling disconnected from my child. The videos will consist of a mix of talking heads, stock footage, and animation, with audio transcriptions also available. The three parenting programs offered to participants employ a unique approach to delivering parenting support: Emotion Coaching The Emotion Coaching program in Daily Growth focuses on teaching children the soft skills needed in the modern world to succeed. Emotion Coaching teaches parents how to notice their own emotions; to understand their child’s needs; to notice, accept, and label all of their child’s emotions; and to empathise and connect with their child. It also teaches parents how to reflect on behaviour they regret, take responsibility, make amends, and model these skills to their child. Active Play The Active Play program offers a set of games to help children connect with their body. Active Play draws on scientific evidence showing how physical activity and play can be used to manage stress and difficult emotions, as well as promoting brain development. The games are designed to help children move in ways that support their emotional and physical development, while also having fun, and connecting with parents. Wayapa Wuurrk Wayapa Wuurrk helps parents connect to the wisdom of the Earth so that they can create rhythms and rituals for gratitude and balance to pass on to their children. The Wayapa Wuurrk Ways remind parents that we are nature, so when parents connect with and look after the Earth, they can create a deeper connection to themselves, their child, and to their community, creating resilience, harmony, and wellbeing for all. Finally, at the completion of the 6-week intervention period, participants will be invited to complete a 20-minute post survey. Six months following the completion of the intervention period, participants will be invited to complete the final 20-minute follow-up survey. Participant engagement will be monitored periodically using data collected from the Daily Growth app, with reminders sent via email and smartphone push notifications to participants who do not engage with the app for an extended period of time.