Poster #43 - eHealth for Parents: Perceptions and Preferences for AbilitiCBT, BEAM, and Triple P Online

• In Event: Poster Session 06

Abstract

Parenting interventions were shown to benefit child cognitive, language, motor, and socioemotional development, as well as attachment, sibling and peer relationships, and mental health. However, only 15% of parents access them and over half are unsatisfied with available services. Parents report time, childcare, and transportation as contextual barriers to enrolling in programs, for which online (eHealth) programs are a cost-efficient solution. However, parental eHealth needs and preferences are unknown. Evidence from in-person programs shows that this is an important limitation as programs that are in line with parent preferences have higher enrollment and adherence.

The present study aimed to compare parental perceptions and preferences based on three eHealth programs that have been prescribed to parents:
(1) AbilitiCBT (mental health-focused), a 10-module self-paced cognitive behavioral program with two sessions with a mental health professional;
(2) BEAM (mental health and parenting-focused), a 10-week program with weekly videos on parenting and mental health and weekly group videoconference sessions with clinical and peer coaches;
(3) Triple P Online (parenting-focused), a self-led 8-module program with video clips, interactive exercises, and a workbook on how to improve the family environment and reduce child behavioural problems.

177 parents of 0-5-year-old children in the US were recruited through MTurk (age 22-65y (mean = 32.6); 84.7% White, 53.6% men, 45.7% women, 0.6% non-binary; 96.0% biological parents). Best-practice MTurk recommendations were employed (e.g., CAPTCHA, attention checks). Mental health symptoms were high in this sample (70.1% clinically concerning depression and/or anxiety symptoms).

Participants were presented detailed descriptions of each program (AbilitiCBT, BEAM, Triple P) and completed the (1) Credibility Scale, assessing perceptions of the program as logical, complete, scientific, and helpful in other areas of life, and (2) The Personal Reactions to Rationales Scale, assessing how helpful they think the program would be across a range of factors (Addis & Carpenter, 1999). Participants were then asked which program they would be most likely to prefer taking part in.

Analyses were run in SPSS 27. As shown in Table 1, mean credibility ratings for Triple P were lower than for AbilitiCBT and BEAM. Credibility for AbilitiCBT and BEAM did not differ. Mean personal reactions ratings for AbilitiCBT were higher than for BEAM and Triple P. Personal reactions for BEAM and Triple P did not differ (Table 1). As shown in Table 2, given the choice between the three programs, Triple P was selected less frequently than AbilitiCBT and BEAM. There was no difference in the frequency at which participants chose AbilitiCBT or BEAM (Table 2).

Overall, these results show that in a sample with high mental health symptoms, Triple P seemed less credible and would be less likely to be chosen than AbilitiCBT and BEAM and that AbilitiCBT seemed more helpful. This suggests that parents with mental health distress are unlikely to choose to participate in a parenting program without mental health support. This study along with further research on more diverse parental populations can help in the development of future targeted eHealth programs and in choices for clinical offerings.

Authors

• Charlie Rioux, University of Oklahoma
  Presenting Author

• Avaline Konkin

• Lianne M Tomfohr-Madsen, The University of Calgary

• Emily E Cameron, University of Manitoba

• Anna MacKinnon, University of Montreal

• Dana Watts

• Leslie E. Roos, University of Manitoba