A Scoping Review of Digital Interventions to Improve Communication Between Children and Their Parents

Abstract

Introduction: Parents can struggle with communication with their children. This can cause stress for parents and disturb family functioning. Digital innovations could give parents a tool to relate to and strengthen interactions with their children. Aims and objectives: This review aims to summarize previous attempts to improve communication and interactions between child and parent/guardian using digital tools and techniques. Methods: a scoping review approach was used, applying systematic searches and screening methods in Rayyan software. The included studies were then analysed using a narrative review, mapping results onto intervention functions from the behaviour change wheel. Results: 322 articles were screened, and seven were found to be relevant. Education, coercion, training, and enablement functions were used throughout, with mostly positive results. Discussion: Although more research is needed, the initial results are positive. Digital innovations can prove useful in promoting communication and improving the interactions between parents and children. Future research is needed with a more varied set of techniques and functions inherent to the innovations. Implications: Digital innovations may provide a useful, cheap and easy-to-use complement to support parents during child rearing if developed and evaluated systematically and the contents are sufficiently complex and user-friendly.