Feasibility and Acceptability of the Asynchronous eParenting CARE Program

NCT07427771 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 20-08-046
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 67
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the eParenting CARE Program, an asynchronous, self-guided emotion-focused parenting intervention for parents of school-aged children (8-13 years). The eParenting CARE Program focuses on strengthening parent emotion regulation (ER) and supportive emotion socialization (ES) practices to promote children's ER and emotional well-being. Parent ER and ES are well-established predictors of children's emotional development, and difficulties in these domains are associated with increased risk for child emotional and behavioural problems. The long-term goal of this work is to improve family well-being and children's emotional functioning by developing an accessible and scalable online parenting intervention that can be delivered flexibly and with minimal barriers to participation. This pilot study will inform the refinement and future evaluation of the eParenting CARE Program through a feasibility-focused design. We will achieve this through the following key objectives:

1. 1.Assess the feasibility and acceptability of the eParenting CARE Program for parents of school-aged children using indicators of recruitment, retention, program completion, and participant satisfaction.
2. 2.Examine exploratory pre- to post-intervention changes in parent ER, parent ES behaviours, and parent-reported child ER to inform outcome selection and effect size estimation for future randomized controlled trials.
3. 3.Identify implementation facilitators and barriers to participation in an asynchronous parenting program through qualitative feedback, including recommendations for improving engagement, accessibility, and program delivery.

Conditions

Emotion Regulation Abilities; Mental Health

Keywords

mental health; emotion regulation; emotion socialization; parenting; intervention-program; child; parent

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Program Feasibility (Recruitment, Retention, and Completion)

  Feasibility will be assessed using descriptive indicators of recruitment, enrollment, retention, and intervention completion. Retention is defined as the proportion of participants who complete at least 60% of the program modules. Completion rates across modules will be used to evaluate participant engagement and practicality of delivering the intervention in an asynchronous online format. A higher score indicates a greater program feasibility and acceptability.

  From enrollment through completion of the intervention (5 weeks)

• Program Acceptability (Participant Satisfaction)

  Acceptability will be assessed using selected items from the Rockwood Group Satisfaction Scale (Marshall \& Serran, 2010), a self-report measure of participant satisfaction with intervention content and delivery. Parents will rate their satisfaction with the program's clarity, usefulness, structure, and overall experience at post-intervention. Higher scores indicate greater acceptability of the intervention and delivery format.

  Post-Intervention (T2) - 5 weeks after program onset implementation

• Participant Engagement with the Intervention

  Participant engagement will be assessed using platform-generated usage data, including module access and progression through program content. Engagement metrics will be summarized descriptively to evaluate adherence to the intended intervention dose and identify patterns of participation across modules. A higher score indicates a greater program engagement.

  Throughout the intervention period (5 weeks)

• Implementation Barriers and Facilitators (Qualitative Interviews)

  Implementation-related barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for improvement will be assessed using semi-structured qualitative interviews with a subset of participants following program completion. Interviews explore participant experiences with program usability, engagement, and perceived value.

  Post-Intervention (within 2-4 weeks following program completion)

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Parent Emotion Regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; DERS)

  Pre-Intervention (T1) - prior to the program implementation and Post-Intervention (T2) - 5 weeks after program onset implementation

• Parent Emotion Socialization (Emotions as a Child Scale; EAC)

  Pre-Intervention (T1) - prior to the program implementation and Post-Intervention (T2) - 5 weeks after program onset implementation

• Child Emotion Regulation (Parent-Report; DERS-Parent Report)

  Pre-Intervention (T1) - prior to the program implementation and Post-Intervention (T2) - 5 weeks after program onset implementation

Study Arms (1)

eParenting CARE Program

EXPERIMENTAL

Asynchronously delivered eParenting CARE Program

Behavioral: eParenting CARE Program

Interventions

eParenting CARE Program BEHAVIORAL

The eParenting CARE Program is a five-module, asynchronous, self-guided online parenting intervention designed to improve parent emotion regulation and supportive emotion socialization practices. The intervention is delivered via a secure web-based platform requiring participant login and is intended to be completed over approximately five weeks. Program content integrates evidence-based strategies drawn from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and emotion coaching frameworks. Each module includes brief instructional videos, written psychoeducational materials, guided self-reflection exercises, and take-home activities to support skill practice. Core topics include parent self-care and emotion regulation, identifying and labeling emotions, cognitive and behavioral regulation strategies, supportive parenting responses to children's emotions, and maintenance of skills.

eParenting CARE Program

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Parent or legal guardian (e.g., custodial guardian) of a child aged 8 to 13 years at the time of enrollment
• Parent or guardian resides in Canada
• Ability to read, write, and understand English sufficiently to complete study materials and questionnaires
• Access to a reliable internet connection and a compatible digital device (e.g., computer, tablet, or smartphone)

You may not qualify if:

• Parent or guardian of a child outside the target age range (younger than 8 years or older than 13 years)
• Residence outside of Canada
• Insufficient proficiency in written or spoken English to complete intervention content or study assessments

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre: lead
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

McGill University

Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1Y2, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being; Emotional Regulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior; Self-Control; Social Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor - Scientist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 5, 2026
• First Posted: February 23, 2026
• Study Start: January 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 31, 2024
• Study Completion: August 31, 2024
• Last Updated: February 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)