Adapting a Parenting Intervention to Promote Healthy Screen Time Habits in Young Children With Behavior Problems

NCT ID: NCT05287685

Last Updated: 2024-11-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 44 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-04-28
• Study Completion Date: 2023-11-28

Brief Summary

This project is a study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to develop and pilot test an adapted parenting intervention to decrease excessive/inappropriate screen media use in young children with externalizing behavior problems.

Detailed Description

The goal of this study is to develop and pilot test an adapted screen time intervention for parents of young children with externalizing behavior problems. As young children's access and exposure to different types of screen media devices has increased, so has public health concern around the links between unhealthy early screen media use (including excessive use and exposure to inappropriate content) and poor child outcomes. Research shows that exposure to screen media and externalizing behavior problems in young children are linked. Externalizing behavior problems also present a significant barrier to parents attempting to adhere to screen media use recommendations. Despite these public health concerns, screen media use interventions have not yet specifically targeted children with externalizing behavior problems. To address this need, the investigators propose to explore a novel approach to intervening around screen time, by adapting a behavioral parenting intervention designed for parents of children with externalizing behavior problems to integrate content around screen time. Leveraging an existing evidence-based parenting intervention will allow for the intervention to target parenting generally, as well as screen time specific parenting, without requiring additional resources. This study will focus on adapting a group-based parenting intervention, the School Readiness Parenting Program (SRPP). The SRPP is an 8-week parenting intervention based on a group Parent-Child Interaction Therapy model. In total, 55 parents of preschool-aged children with externalizing behavior problems will be recruited. Following a development phase, the investigators will conduct a small open trial (n = 15) to assess the feasibility of the screen time adapted intervention and families' satisfaction and response to treatment. At this phase, the investigators will also pilot a multimodal method of tracking child screen use using objective data from mobile devices and parent-completed media use logs. Upon making modifications based on results of the open trial and feedback from an external advisory panel of experts and community stakeholders, a pilot randomized controlled trial (n = 40) will follow. Parents will be randomly assigned to receive either the screen time adapted SRPP (n = 20) or the original SRPP (n = 20) program. Assessment measures will be completed at prettest, posttest, and at a 1 month follow up. The investigators will examine feasibility and acceptability of the screen time adapted intervention in the randomized controlled trial. The investigators will also examine children's screen use patterns, including overall screen time, proportion of screen time that is educational, and frequency of parent-child co-use of screen media. In an exploratory fashion, the investigators will examine the effect of the intervention on child externalizing behavior problems.

Conditions

Behavior Problem; Parenting

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Screen media adapted School Readiness Parenting Program

Screen media adapted School Readiness Parenting Program (Once weekly session of 1.5 hours for 8 weeks)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Screen media adapted School Readiness Parenting Program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

For the screen time adapted parenting intervention, screen time intervention components will be infused into the SRPP (described below) to address three primary areas shown in research to play an important role in healthy screen media use: (1) reducing and managing screen time use; (2) maximizing benefits of screen time content; and (3) promoting positive parent-child interactions during co-use of screen media. Psychoeducation and practice of these strategies will be incorporated into sessions of the SRPP in which relevant behavioral concepts are addressed.The screen time adapted parenting intervention will utilize the same format (large group, 8 weekly 1.5 hour sessions) as the SRPP.

Original School Readiness Parenting Program

Original School Readiness Parenting Program (Once weekly session of 1.5 hours for 8 weeks)

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

School Readiness Parenting Program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The SRPP is an 8-week parenting program for parents of preschool aged children with externalizing behavior problems. The SRPP targets child externalizing behavior problems specifically, as well as to help parents promote children's school readiness skills. The SRPP follows a group Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) model and also uses motivational interviewing and modelling problem solving approaches. The SRPP utilizes a large group format (10-15 parents) with weekly sessions lasting 1.5 hours. The SRPP curriculum contains traditional aspects of behavioral management strategies (e.g., improving parenting skills and the parent-child relationship; discipline strategies such as time out). Specific sessions of the SRPP also directly target parental interactions during children's learning activities and setting up homework and household structure and routines. In its original form, SRPP does not address children's screen time.

Interventions

Screen media adapted School Readiness Parenting Program

For the screen time adapted parenting intervention, screen time intervention components will be infused into the SRPP (described below) to address three primary areas shown in research to play an important role in healthy screen media use: (1) reducing and managing screen time use; (2) maximizing benefits of screen time content; and (3) promoting positive parent-child interactions during co-use of screen media. Psychoeducation and practice of these strategies will be incorporated into sessions of the SRPP in which relevant behavioral concepts are addressed.The screen time adapted parenting intervention will utilize the same format (large group, 8 weekly 1.5 hour sessions) as the SRPP.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

School Readiness Parenting Program

The SRPP is an 8-week parenting program for parents of preschool aged children with externalizing behavior problems. The SRPP targets child externalizing behavior problems specifically, as well as to help parents promote children's school readiness skills. The SRPP follows a group Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) model and also uses motivational interviewing and modelling problem solving approaches. The SRPP utilizes a large group format (10-15 parents) with weekly sessions lasting 1.5 hours. The SRPP curriculum contains traditional aspects of behavioral management strategies (e.g., improving parenting skills and the parent-child relationship; discipline strategies such as time out). Specific sessions of the SRPP also directly target parental interactions during children's learning activities and setting up homework and household structure and routines. In its original form, SRPP does not address children's screen time.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• eligible child who is 54 to 66 months old at Spring intake (i.e. will be entering Kindergarten after the summer)
• parent-reported externalizing behavior problems on the Kiddie-Disruptive Behavior Disorder Schedule (parent report) or the Disruptive Behavior Disorder Rating Scale (teacher report) that meet criteria for a disruptive behavior disorder diagnosis
• child general cognitive ability score 70 or above on the Differential Abilities Scales-II, - caregiver willing and able to attend weekly parent groups conducted in English.

Exclusion Criteria

• Families with children with major sensory impairments (e.g., deafness, blindness) or severe problems that impair mobility (e.g., cerebral palsy)are excluded.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 54 Months
• Maximum Eligible Age: 66 Months
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Florida International University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Florida International University

Miami, Florida, United States

Countries

United States

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

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Document Type: Informed Consent Form

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Other Identifiers

1R21HD104367-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

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1R21HD104367-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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