A pilot randomised controlled trial investigating feasibility and acceptability of the prototype Daily Growth parenting program in parents/carers and their children aged 2-4 years

This pilot randomised controlled trial aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a prototype for a novel parenting program aimed at improving community reach and engagement. The Daily Growth parenting program uses an ecological momentary intervention design, sending twice-daily 1-minute surveys, and offering 3-minute videos tailored to a specific parenting situation. The current study tested a small prototype version of Daily Growth. The final Daily Growth program will be offered as an app and offer parents/carers a combination of three different parenting programs over six weeks. However, this pilot study tested a prototype version via a web platform (not an app), offering just two of the three programs (Emotion Coaching; Active Play), each program offering 5 tailored 3-minute video resources (out of a planned 30 resources per program) over two weeks. To participate, participants first registered to a web platform developed at Deakin University called 'Platform O', and then completed a baseline survey through Qualtrics (approx. 25 minutes). On completion of the baseline survey, participants were randomised to either a control or intervention group, via a random assignment (1:1 ratio) generator. Participants in both control and intervention condition were sent a 1-minute ‘pre’ ecological momentary intervention (pre-EMI) survey, at 7.30am and 7.30pm, every day for 2 weeks. The 1-minute EMI survey asked questions about parent and child emotion regulation and child emotions. Parents were also asked to select 1 of 5 challenging situations they had recently experienced (e.g., issues with eating). Participants in both control and intervention condition were offered an intervention if they reported that they or their child were experiencing negative affect or having difficulty regulating their emotions. Parents in the intervention condition were randomised in-the-moment to receive 1 of 2 types of a micro-intervention (i.e., a 3-minute video), from either the Active Play program or the Emotion Coaching program. Regardless of the program they received, the 3-minute video was tailored to provide supportive advice specific to the parenting situation they had selected. Participants in the control condition were also sent a tailored link to the Raising Children Network government parenting website, directing them to a webpage that provided information specific to the parenting situation they had selected. A post-EMI survey was sent to participants at 7:45am and 7:45pm. This survey repeated the same items asking about parents' emotion regulation and their children's emotions (but did not repeat the question about challenging parenting situations). Finally, at the end of 2 weeks, parents were asked to complete a 25-minute post-intervention survey. Due to a technical problem, approximately half of the sample enrolled in this pilot experienced an issue. Programming for the post-EMI survey required that participants must have completed their pre-EMI survey within 15 minutes of receiving the invitation email. This unfortunately meant that most participants did not reliably receive the post-EMI survey throughout the two-week period. This technical problem was identified and corrected half-way through the trial to remove the time-requirement – participants were not required to complete the pre-survey within 15 minutes (the survey was available all day), and the post EMI survey prompt was sent to all Group 2 participants, regardless of their cut-point score on the pre-survey. Given that our data analyses focussed on describing survey completion rates, we separated participants affected by this technical problem (Group 1) with those enrolled later in the study and not affected (Group 2). We note that there were no other differences between these groups, and that there were roughly equal representation of control and intervention conditions across Groups 1 and 2. Daily Growth Program Resources 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.