BePresent Universal Internet-Based Parenting Intervention: Single-Arm Pre-Post Intervention Study

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Digital Health Interventions
• Parenting Support

Background:

• Internet-based parenting programs offer scalable solutions for enhancing parent-child relationships.
• Reaching and engaging parents effectively is a key challenge in early childhood interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the BePresent internet-based parenting intervention for families with 3-year-old children.
• To evaluate the intervention's impact on child behavior (hyperactivity, conduct problems, irritability) and daily functioning.
• To determine intervention completion rates, parent satisfaction, and compare outcomes between completers and non-completers.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm, pre- and postintervention study design was employed.
• Parents of 3-year-olds were recruited from child health clinics.
• An unguided, 5-module internet-based parenting program was delivered, with data collected at baseline and 8-week follow-up.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions were observed in parent-reported child hyperactivity (P=.03, d=0.12) and conduct problems (P=.001, d=0.20).
• Child irritability also decreased significantly (P≤.001, d=0.27), alongside improvements in daily functioning (P=.01, d=0.14).
• High parent satisfaction was reported (68.8%-84.9%), with 89.9% finding it informative on positive parenting skills.

Conclusions:

• Universal digital parenting interventions show promise for widespread community implementation to enhance parenting knowledge and skills.
• Further research using randomized controlled trials is needed to confirm efficacy.
• Strategies to improve adherence to universal digital parenting programs require investigation.