Reducing Parental Stress Via Instant Messaging During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT05413577 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: SBRE-20-562
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 491
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This research investigated the effects of mindfulness practice on mental wellbeing and parenting behaviour, with the instruction recordings delivered via existing instant messaging applications, including Whatsapp and Signal. The two-week mindfulness program targeted parents with children in Nursery, Kindergarten to Primary School. Due to the suspension of schools, work from home policies, parents spend increased amount of time with their children. News reports have indicated that with the mounting care taking responsibilities and downturn of economy amidst the epidemic, parents have been experiencing higher stress that may negatively impact their wellbeing and parent-child relationship. This study delivered an app-based intervention that aims at enhancing mindful parenting at the time of corona, where social distancing is emphasized.

Conditions

Parents; Parenting; Stress

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Parental Stress Scale

  The Parental Stress Scale was used to measure self-perceived stress specific to the parenting role. Parental Stress Scale was originally developed by Berry and Jones (1995) to measure parental feelings and experiences in terms of rewards, satisfaction, controllability, and stress. The minimum score was 0 and the maximum score was 64. A score of 0 represents lowest level of parental stress possible, whereas a score of 64 represents highest level of parental stress. Higher scores indicate worse outcome.

  Change from Baseline Parental Stress Scale at immediately after the intervention and two weeks after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Well-being WHO 5-item index

  Change from Baseline Well-being WHO 5-item index at immediately after the intervention and two weeks after intervention

• Mindfulness in Parenting Scale

  Change from Baseline Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale at immediately after the intervention and two weeks after intervention

• Parent Behavior Inventory

  Change from Baseline Parent Behavior Inventory at immediately after the intervention and two weeks after intervention

Study Arms (2)

Experimental Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The experimental group was invited to listen to a 15-minute mindfulness instructional recording delivered daily through an instant messaging application and to practice accordingly for 14 consecutive days at their own choice of time and place.

Behavioral: Mindfulness training

Waitlist control group

NO INTERVENTION

The waitlist control group was only be required to complete the demographic information, pre, post experiment and follow-up questionnaires before they receive the mindfulness training intervention.

Interventions

Mindfulness training BEHAVIORAL

The intervention recordings taught the basic concepts of mindfulness through simple guided meditations with content supported by science. Each recording had the same format that included (1) a daily theme, (2) a meditation exercise echoing the theme, (3) a suggested exercise for practice, and (4) an invitation for participants to give a short response to their meditation experience at the end of the recording.

Experimental Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Parents with at least one child who is in Primary School or below.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chinese University of Hong Kong: lead

Study Sites (1)

Chinese University of Hong Kong

Shatin, Hong Kong

Location

Study Officials

• Lun Wai Doris Lam, M.S.Sc

  Chinese University of Hong Kong

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator, Graduate Student in Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 4, 2022
• First Posted: June 10, 2022
• Study Start: September 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: February 28, 2022
• Study Completion: February 28, 2022
• Last Updated: November 23, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)