Creating Connections: A Feasibility Study of a Technology-Based Intervention to Support Mothers of Newborns during...

Intervention in the earliest period of parenthood can make a strong, positive impact on parenting, yet engaging parents of newborns in parenting interventions can be difficult. Technological adaptation of important interventions can improve early engagement. This study reports the initial feasibility of the Creating Connections intervention, a technology-based intervention developed to support mothers of newborns, and feasibility of evaluating the intervention through a randomized clinical trial in pediatric primary care. The intervention includes: 1) a brief tablet-based intervention delivered during a newborn well-child pediatric check-up, and 2) tailored text messages delivered thereafter to boost intervention content. Intervention content includes empirically-supported aspects of parenting behaviors known to positively influence children's social-emotional development.

Project recruitment took place in an ambulatory care pediatric clinic in a large Midwestern city. Mothers received information about infant soothing, book sharing, or both.

One hundred and three parents learned about the program and 72 participated. Mothers were primarily Black/African American with incomes at or below $30,000. Only 50% of mothers that received text messages through the program completed follow-up, but these mothers gave overall positive ratings of text messages.

Program engagement and ratings of parents support feasibility, but retention rates need improvement. Based on barriers and successes of this investigation, lessons learned about feasibility and acceptability are discussed.