Enrollment and completion rates of a nationwide guided digital parenting program for children with disruptive...

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Digital Health Interventions
• Public Health

Background:

• Disruptive behavior in young children presents a significant challenge for families.
• Parenting interventions are crucial for addressing child behavioral issues and improving family well-being.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated adaptations in service delivery, including digital health solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate enrollment and completion rates of the Finnish Strongest Families Smart Website (SFSW) parent training program.
• To compare intervention uptake before and after the COVID-19 lockdown period.
• To identify factors associated with enrollment and completion in a digital parenting intervention.

Main Methods:

• Population-based screening of 39,251 children aged 4 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
• Inclusion/exclusion criteria applied to eligible families (n=4894).
• Logistic regression and interrupted time-series analysis to assess enrollment, completion, and COVID-19 impact.

Main Results:

• 62.6% enrollment and 87.1% completion rates for the SFSW program.
• Higher disruptive behavior scores and overall difficulties were associated with enrollment.
• Parental education positively influenced enrollment and completion; paternal age and parental depression showed mixed associations.
• Enrollment remained stable post-COVID-19, while completion rates significantly increased (OR 1.75).

Conclusions:

• Guided digital parenting interventions like SFSW are effective and sustainable.
• These programs bridge the child mental health treatment gap.
• Digital interventions ensure service continuity during crises, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.