RESUMEN
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Digital parenting programs using smartphone apps can support families in positive parenting and require evaluations of their effects, mainly in low- and middle-income countries with caregivers experiencing psychosocial vulnerabilities. The study evaluated the "Born Learning" digital parenting program on improving parenting practices, child prosocial behavior, and reducing the children's externalizing behavior problems. Additionally, participants' satisfaction and engagement with the program were evaluated. METHODS: Brazilian primary caregivers of 3- to 6-year-old children totaling 91, participated in the "Born Learning" program and pre-, post-intervention, and five-month follow-up evaluations. RESULTS: Most participants received cash transfers (64%) and reported some level of food insecurity (78%). The parenting coercive practices decreased from pre- to post-intervention, with maintenance in follow-up. Satisfaction with the role of parenting increased, and child conduct behavior problems decreased from pre-intervention to follow-up. Most participants found the program content very interesting and engaged adequately with the program strategies, such as messages and videos. CONCLUSIONS: The digital parenting program can support caregivers by enhancing parenting and decreasing child behavior problems, highlighting the potential for broader implementation in similar contexts.
RESUMEN
The present study examined the effectiveness of a personalized remote video feedback parenting program to improve mother-child interactions and child behavior outcomes among mothers of children with behavior problems in comparison to counterparts with no behavior problems. The sample comprised 60 mothers and their 2-to-6-year-old children, including children with behavior problems (BP = 19) and children without behavior problems (NoBP = 41). The Strengthening Bonds program included one in-person group session and remote personalized video feedback about their mother-child interactions in a play situation via smartphone for six weeks. Mother-child interactions were the primary outcome, and children's behaviors were the secondary outcome. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were performed. The mother-child interactions were recorded during free- and structured-play situations and were then analyzed by the Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes (PICCOLO) and the Dynamics of the dyad activity coding system. Additionally, the mothers answered the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The results showed that, in the post-intervention, the mother-child interaction pattern improved in the BP group, especially in the teaching dimension of the PICCOLO. Also, after the program, more children with normal classification were in the BP group.