Strengths to Grow - Preteen: An Online Parenting Resource

NCT05582057 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: 21-08-001-2
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 400
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Research suggests that strength-based parenting programs can enhance family well-being, but the current formats of these programs (e.g., in-person workshops) are not accessible to many families. The first aim of the study is to adapt Strengths to Grow, an accessible and engaging strength-based parenting program, for pre-teens. The second aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness this adapted program (Strengths to Grow: Preteen). Toward this end, parents of children in Grades 4 through 8 will be invited to complete a brief, online survey of well-being before and a few weeks after completing the online program to assess its impact on well-being.

Conditions

Mental Health Wellness 1

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Parenting Sense of Competence Scale: Efficacy Subscale (Johnston & Mash, 1989)

  Caregiving Self-Efficacy; 1 = Strongly Disagree to 6 = Strongly Agree; higher scores indicate increased sense of competence

  1 week

• Modified Differential Emotions Scale (Fredrickson, 2013) [Instructions modified to capture child-oriented emotions consistent with Waters and Sun (2016)]

  Parent child-Oriented Positive Emotions; 0 = Never to 4 = Most of the time; higher scores indicate increased positive emotions

  1 week

• Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999)

  Parent happiness; 1 to 7 (various anchors); higher scores indicated increased happiness

  1 week

• Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (Kroenke et al., 2009) [Instructions modified to capture parent's perceptions of child mental health]

  Child mental health; 0 = Not at all to 4 = Nearly every day; higher scores indicate worse mental health

  1 week

• Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, 1994)

  Parent stress; 0 = Never to 4 = Very often; higher scores indicate higher stress

  1 week

Study Arms (2)

Experimental Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Strengths to Grow Program In an online, self-directed format, the Strengths to Grow: Preteen program will present the principles of strength-based parenting using videos, pictures, reflection questions, and written text. The intervention will communicate that a) every child has a unique set of strengths and that b) noticing and developing these strengths can enhance child and family well-being. It will also provide concrete steps that parents can follow to talk with their child about strengths, and it will provide ideas for family activities that would allow family members to express strengths. Participants will be invited to respond to reflection questions at various points throughout the program.

Behavioral: Strengths to Grow: Preteen

Waitlist Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

Strengths to Grow: Preteen BEHAVIORAL

An online, strength based parenting program for parents of preteens (aged 9-14).

Experimental Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Parent of a child(ren) who is enrolled in Grade 4 to 8 at the Upper Grand District School Board in Guelph, Ontario
• Able to read and write in English (linguistic proficiency equivalent to a Grade 8 reading level or greater)
• Consent to participate in the research study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Guelph: lead

Study Sites (1)

Upper Grand District School Board

Guelph, Ontario, N1E 6K2, Canada

RECRUITING

Related Publications (21)

• Friedmann, J. (2022). Assessing Character Strengths in Young Children (Doctoral dissertation, University of Guelph).

  BACKGROUND

• Danaher BG, Boles SM, Akers L, Gordon JS, Severson HH. Defining participant exposure measures in Web-based health behavior change programs. J Med Internet Res. 2006 Aug 30;8(3):e15. doi: 10.2196/jmir.8.3.e15.

  PMID: 16954125 BACKGROUND

• Eisner M, Meidert U. Stages of parental engagement in a universal parent training program. J Prim Prev. 2011 Apr;32(2):83-93. doi: 10.1007/s10935-011-0238-8.

  PMID: 21424399 BACKGROUND

• Fernandez MA, Eyberg SM. Predicting treatment and follow-up attrition in parent-child interaction therapy. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2009 Apr;37(3):431-41. doi: 10.1007/s10802-008-9281-1.

  PMID: 19096926 BACKGROUND

• Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). Chapter One-Positive Emotions Broaden and Build. In P. Devine & A. Plant (Eds.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 47, pp. 1-53). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-407236-7.00001-2

  BACKGROUND

• Ivtzan, I., Niemiec, R. M., & Briscoe, C. (2016). A study investigating the effects of Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) on wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 6(2), 1- 13. https://doi.org/10/gfscgj

  BACKGROUND

• Jach, H. K., Sun, J., Loton, D., Chin, T.-C., & Waters, L. (2018). Strengths and subjective wellbeing in adolescence: Strengthbased parenting and the moderating effect of mindset. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(2), 567-586. https://doi.org/10/gfscg9

  BACKGROUND

• Johnston, C., & Mash, E. J. (1989). A Measure of Parenting Satisfaction and Efficacy. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 18(2), 167-175. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp1802_8

  BACKGROUND

• Kazdin, A. E., & Rabbitt, S. M. (2013). Novel models for delivering mental health services and reducing the burdens of mental illness. Clinical Psychological Science, 1(2), 170-191. https://doi.org/10/gc4pnm

  BACKGROUND

• Lavigne JV, Lebailly SA, Gouze KR, Binns HJ, Keller J, Pate L. Predictors and correlates of completing behavioral parent training for the treatment of oppositional defiant disorder in pediatric primary care. Behav Ther. 2010 Jun;41(2):198-211. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2009.02.006. Epub 2009 Dec 5.

  PMID: 20412885 BACKGROUND

• Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation. Social Indicators Research, 46(2), 137-155. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006824100041

  BACKGROUND

• McGoron, L., & Ondersma, S. J. (2015). Reviewing the need for technological and other expansions of evidence-based parent training for young children. Children and Youth Services Review, 59, 71-83. https://doi.org/10/f8bhbv

  BACKGROUND

• O'Byrne R, Thompson R, Friedmann JS, Lumley MN. Parent Engagement with an Online, School-Based, Character Strengths Promotion Program. Int J Appl Posit Psychol. 2022;7(3):355-377. doi: 10.1007/s41042-022-00072-4. Epub 2022 Aug 11.

  PMID: 35971433 BACKGROUND

• Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Introduction to a manual of the sanities. In Character strengths and virtues (pp.18-104). American Psychological Association; Oxford University Press. https://books.scholarsportal.info/uri/ebooks/ebooks0/oxford/2009- 11-30/3/0195167015

  BACKGROUND

• Ritterband, L. M., Cox, D. J., Gordon, T. L., Borowitz, S. M., Kovatchev, B. P., Walker, L. S., & Sutphen, J. L. (2006). Examining the Added Value of Audio, Graphics, and Interactivity in an Internet Intervention for Pediatric Encopresis. Children's Health Care, 35(1), 47-59. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326888chc3501_5

  BACKGROUND

• Shoshani A, Shwartz L. From Character Strengths to Children's Well-Being: Development and Validation of the Character Strengths Inventory for Elementary School Children. Front Psychol. 2018 Nov 2;9:2123. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02123. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 30450070 BACKGROUND

• Waters, L. (2015a). The relationship between strength-based parenting with children's stress levels and strength-based coping approaches. Psychology, 06(06), 689-699. https://doi.org/10/gdj4w6

  BACKGROUND

• Waters, L. (2015b). Strength-based parenting and life satisfaction in teenagers. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2(11), 158-173. https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.211.1651

  BACKGROUND

• Waters, L. (2020). Using positive psychology interventions to strengthen family happiness: A family systems approach. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 0(0), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1789704

  BACKGROUND

• Waters, L., Loton, D., & Jach, H. K. (2018). Does Strength-Based Parenting Predict Academic Achievement? The Mediating Effects of Perseverance and Engagement. Journal of Happiness Studies. https://doi.org/10/gfscg8

  BACKGROUND

• Waters, L., & Sun, J. (2016). Can a brief strength-based parenting intervention boost self-efficacy and positive emotions in parents? International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 1(1), 41-56. https://doi.org/10/gfschb

  BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Margaret Lumley, PhD, CPsych

  University of Guelph

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Margaret Lumley, PhD, CPsych

CONTACT

519-824-4120; mlumley@uoguelph.ca

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: The current study is a two-wave randomized controlled trial that employs a 2 (group - between participants) by 2 (time - within participants) mixed measures design to assess a brief online strength-based parenting program.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 12, 2022
• First Posted: October 17, 2022
• Study Start: October 3, 2022
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2023
• Study Completion: May 1, 2023
• Last Updated: November 14, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)