Initial Evaluation of the Need for and Impact of a Pragmatic Internet-based Parenting Program to Promote Positive Parenting and School Readiness in Early Childhood

Abstract

Brief, technology-based programs are a low-cost, high-reach approach to connecting parents with research-informed parenting information. Reported here are two investigations that examined the need for and impact of one such program, The 5-a-Day Parenting Program, for parents of children in early childhood (ages 2-5 years old). Through text messages and online videos, the program promotes 5 daily positive parenting activities: book sharing, parent-child play, showing affection, meal sharing, and following a bedtime routine. Parents learn about the importance of doing each of these activities daily and then select one activity on which to focus. Study 1 (n = 568) examined how frequently parents engage in the 5 specific parenting activities. Reading was found to be the least often reported parenting activity with 63.4% of parents reporting reading to their child 3 days or less in the previous week. In study 2, a proof-of-concept trial using a pre-post design, 94 parents went through the 5-a-Day Parenting Program and completed baseline and follow-up surveys to assess key outcomes. Primary outcomes of interest included use of the 5 specific parenting activities, parents’ parenting activity goal, and daily routines. Secondary outcomes included parents’ level of parenting confidence, chaos within the home, and children’s social/emotional behavior problems. Significant changes from pre-post were found for primary, but not secondary, outcomes. Next steps will include program refinements and a pilot randomized clinical trial.