[Development and feasibility analysis of a parenting strategy mini-program for preventing anxiety and depression in...

Anxiety and depression are increasingly prevalent among adolescents, and parental parenting practices play a crucial role in the development of these emotional problems. This study aims to develop a mini-program based parenting strategy to prevent anxiety and depression in adolescents, conduct a feasibility analysis, and evaluate its preliminary effects, thereby providing scientific evidence for establishing preventive service systems for adolescent mental health.

Guided by the Persuasive System Design model, a preliminary parenting strategy for preventing adolescent anxiety and depression was developed based on literature review, literature screening and quality appraisal, and qualitative interviews. In October 2023, the Delphi method was used to revise the program through expert consultation. Software engineers collaborated with the research team to develop and refine both the mini-application front end and the web-based management backend using an agile development model, resulting in the final version of the "Smart Growth Assistant" mini-application. For feasibility and preliminary effectiveness evaluation, 30 parents of adolescents were recruited online via convenience sampling between December 2023 and January 2024 to participate in an 8-week intervention delivered entirely through the mini-application. Feasibility outcomes included a researcher-developed satisfaction questionnaire, the System Usability Scale (SUS), and user-experience interviews. Preliminary effectiveness outcomes included the short-form Parental Stress Scale, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, Parenting Behavior Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale.

A total of 17 experts completed two rounds of Delphi consultation. The judgment coefficient for item evaluation was 0.96, the familiarity coefficient was 0.76, and the authority coefficient was 0.86. The proportion of experts providing comments was 94.1% in the first round and 23.5% in the second. The coefficient of variation for item scores ranged from 0.07 to 0.21 and 0.05 to 0.20 in the 2 rounds, respectively. Kendall's W coefficients were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The final program outline consisted of 8 primary indicators and 34 secondary indicators, and the mini-application included 30 graphic-text units, 4 comic-style case examples, 35 audio clips, and 6 video materials. A total of 23 parents ultimately completed the intervention. The mean satisfaction score was 4.38±0.57, and the total SUS score was 81.74±10.85. Qualitative interviews indicated a generally positive user experience. After the intervention, parental stress scores were significantly reduced, and parental competence and parenting behavior scores significantly improved (P<0.05). Adolescents' depression scores were significantly lower post-intervention (P<0.05), while changes in anxiety scores were not statistically significant (P>0.05).

The mini-program based parenting strategy for preventing adolescent anxiety and depression demonstrated good feasibility. It provides parents with a comprehensive, systematic, and effective individualized guidance program to support the prevention of anxiety and depression among adolescents.