Evaluation of the Online First Pathways Program for Equity-denied Families: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: Journal of child and family studies 2024-11, Vol.33 (11), p.3440-3454
• Main Authors: Komanchuk, Jelena, Letourneau, Nicole, Duffett-Leger, Linda, Healy, Pat, Very, Madison, Huang, Ziyue, Zheng, Zhaoyang, Cameron, Judy L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Access; Adversity; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Brain; Child and School Psychology; Child development; Child Rearing; Children; Children & youth; Clinical trials; Cohabitation; Community organizations; Control Groups; Dyads; Equity; Families & family life; Family (Sociological Unit); Games; Internet; Mothers; Original Paper; Parent Child Relationship; Parent-child relations; Parenthood education; Parents & parenting; Pilot projects; Psychology; Randomized Controlled Trials; Reciprocity; Reminders; Snowball sampling; Social Sciences; Social services; Sociology
• ISSN: 1062-1024; 1573-2843
• DOI: 10.1007/s10826-024-02932-w

Equity-denied families report barriers to accessing parenting supports, and online programs have the potential to improve accessibility. First Pathways is a digital parenting program designed to promote parent-child interactions and children’s development by sharing parent-child interactive activity ideas and knowledge of how these activities support children’s brain development. We recruited equity-denied families from community organizations and via snowball sampling to investigate the effect of playing First Pathways on parent-child interactions and child development for parents and their children aged 3–36 months. We also examined predictors of game play. Parent-child dyads participated in a 2-month randomized controlled trial pilot study. The First Pathways group received daily reminders encouraging game utilization for one month. Parent-child interactions and children’s development were reassessed at 1- and 2-months. Although no significant group differences were found between the First Pathways and waitlist control group, the quartile of dyads who played First Pathways the most ( n  = 13) demonstrated significantly greater improvements in parent-child interactions compared to dyads ( n  = 12) who played the least. Moreover, total game play over the 2-month study was significantly correlated with improvements in parent-child interactions. Dyads were significantly more likely to play First Pathways while receiving reminders, and early play predicted later play. Dyads who showed the greatest reciprocity in their interactions (i.e., balanced back and forth serve and return exchanges) at baseline were most likely to have greater game play. Online programs have potential to support parent-child interactions and child development for equity-denied families; additional research is needed to understand facilitators/barriers to early engagement. Highlights Digital parenting programs have potential to increase parenting resource accessibility for equity-denied families. Parents with children aged 3–36 months were recruited from agencies providing social services and via snowball sampling. Families who utilized First Pathways the most had greater improvements in parent-child interactions than those who used it the least. Daily text/email reminders promoted digital program use, and early program engagement was associated with sustained program use. Older married/cohabiting mothers, less adversity, and higher parent-child reciprocity predicted greater First Pathw