Preliminary Results from a Randomized Internet-Based Infant-Focused Parenting Intervention "Baby-Net": Examining Social Networking’s Relationship to Usage and Outcomes
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Abstract
Background
Parents of infants living in poverty are at significantly elevated risk of a host of detrimental outcomes, including the development of child behavior problems, neglect and abuse of children, child learning problems and parental substance abuse. Research has found that early interventions to improve parenting practices were effective to ameliorate these outcomes. Yet, there exist major obstacles to the effective delivery of mental health services, particularly in rural areas. The need of rural families for mental health services is reaching crisis proportions due to the dearth of trained professionals. In addition, the meteoric rise of Internet use has created a new avenue for people to communicate and share ideas. These two trends are helping fuel the demand for mental health services and on-line support.
Internet programs can be interactive and provide social support from peers and professionals. Through the use of recent advances in multimedia technology and software as well as the rise of computer networking via the Internet, there now exists an opportunity to provide such monitoring of outcomes and remote contact for rural locations.
Prior developmental research (Baggett et al, 2010; Feil et al., 2008) successfully adapted and pilot tested an existing empirically proven parenting program, for delivery via the Internet, enhanced with weekly professional contact. Results found significant change with infant-behavioral and positive trends were demonstrated in parenting behaviors. These encouraging developmental research results provide a very good empirical base for a fully powered randomized control trial to test effectiveness.
Objective
This presentation describes preliminary results from the first cohort of 50 mothers with infants with emphasis on the social networking component and its relationship to increased usage and effects,
Methods
The research will involve a randomized control trial with mother/infant dyads assigned to experimental or attention-control conditions. After recruiting from in rural and urban Oregon and Kansas, 50 English-speaking mothers (1st of 4 cohorts) will be randomized to either the intervention or attention-control conditions. The adapted remotely-delivered interactive Internet intervention (see Figures 1-3) includes 3 components: (a) the PALS course; (b) video feedback and weekly coaching; and (c) social media support.
Results
Current research efforts will be reviewed regarding this system and a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of the system with a focus on social networking. Within our examination, we will focus on outcomes related to increasing mother’s positive behavior and engagement with regard to involvement with the social working. This presentation will include qualitative data from beta-testing agencies, quantitative data regarding system usage, and behavioral outcomes.
Conclusions
The inaccessibility and underutilization of empirically supported mental health and other support services by families experiencing isolation, due to rural location or linguistic barriers, is currently a significant and growing public health concern encouraging the adaptation for easy access for preventive services. Interventions that rely on computer and telecommunication technologies, including those that use the Internet to facilitate service delivery, are increasingly being viewed as valuable in this regard. This paper will conclude with a presentation of future research directions.
Parents of infants living in poverty are at significantly elevated risk of a host of detrimental outcomes, including the development of child behavior problems, neglect and abuse of children, child learning problems and parental substance abuse. Research has found that early interventions to improve parenting practices were effective to ameliorate these outcomes. Yet, there exist major obstacles to the effective delivery of mental health services, particularly in rural areas. The need of rural families for mental health services is reaching crisis proportions due to the dearth of trained professionals. In addition, the meteoric rise of Internet use has created a new avenue for people to communicate and share ideas. These two trends are helping fuel the demand for mental health services and on-line support.
Internet programs can be interactive and provide social support from peers and professionals. Through the use of recent advances in multimedia technology and software as well as the rise of computer networking via the Internet, there now exists an opportunity to provide such monitoring of outcomes and remote contact for rural locations.
Prior developmental research (Baggett et al, 2010; Feil et al., 2008) successfully adapted and pilot tested an existing empirically proven parenting program, for delivery via the Internet, enhanced with weekly professional contact. Results found significant change with infant-behavioral and positive trends were demonstrated in parenting behaviors. These encouraging developmental research results provide a very good empirical base for a fully powered randomized control trial to test effectiveness.
Objective
This presentation describes preliminary results from the first cohort of 50 mothers with infants with emphasis on the social networking component and its relationship to increased usage and effects,
Methods
The research will involve a randomized control trial with mother/infant dyads assigned to experimental or attention-control conditions. After recruiting from in rural and urban Oregon and Kansas, 50 English-speaking mothers (1st of 4 cohorts) will be randomized to either the intervention or attention-control conditions. The adapted remotely-delivered interactive Internet intervention (see Figures 1-3) includes 3 components: (a) the PALS course; (b) video feedback and weekly coaching; and (c) social media support.
Results
Current research efforts will be reviewed regarding this system and a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of the system with a focus on social networking. Within our examination, we will focus on outcomes related to increasing mother’s positive behavior and engagement with regard to involvement with the social working. This presentation will include qualitative data from beta-testing agencies, quantitative data regarding system usage, and behavioral outcomes.
Conclusions
The inaccessibility and underutilization of empirically supported mental health and other support services by families experiencing isolation, due to rural location or linguistic barriers, is currently a significant and growing public health concern encouraging the adaptation for easy access for preventive services. Interventions that rely on computer and telecommunication technologies, including those that use the Internet to facilitate service delivery, are increasingly being viewed as valuable in this regard. This paper will conclude with a presentation of future research directions.
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