Strengths to Grow: An Online Parenting Resource
Study Overview
Status
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Detailed Description
Strength-based Parenting
Strength-based parenting is a style of caregiving which identifies and cultivates strengths in the child and caregiver. When parents employ a strength-based parenting style, youth tend to demonstrate greater academic achievement, resilience, and overall well-being, and parents tend to experience more well-being within the caregiving role. Additionally, it is believed that caregivers can develop a strength-based parenting style through training and practice. For these reasons, several strength-based parenting programs have been developed.
Character Strengths
Strength-based parenting programs typically focus on helping parents to identify and develop a particular type of strength known as character strengths. Character strengths are personal qualities that are widely regarded as morally good (e.g., bravery, curiosity, kindness). In 2004, Peterson and Seligman completed a comprehensive review that identified 24 character strengths. The development and use of these 24 character strengths has consistently been shown to be associated with well-being across the lifespan.
Strength-based Parenting Programs
The content of strength-based parenting programs typically revolves around introducing parents to character strengths, helping parents to identify character strengths within themselves and their child, teaching parents to notice and encourage their child's use of strengths, and helping parents to employ their strengths within the caregiving role. Within the published literature, strength-based parenting programs have been delivered in two formats: in-person workshops and online handouts. These programs had positive effects, including improving caregiving self-efficacy, positive emotions toward the child, and family well-being relative to waitlist control groups. However, the format of these programs may have limited the number of parents who could access and engage with the resources.
Access and Engagement
It is important to consider the extent to which caregivers can access and engage with programs because access and engagement are necessary pre-requisites to program effectiveness. Research on parenting programs suggests that in-person workshops are not accessible to many families, particularly families of lower socio-economic status. Online handouts may be more accessible, but may struggle to engage families, as interactive, media-rich online materials tend to be more engaging. The present study aims to increase the accessibility of strength-based parenting programs by offering the resources online, and to increase engagement by providing interactive rather than static online materials.
An Online, Interactive, Strength-based Parenting Program
O'Byrne et al. examined pilot project data from an online, interactive strength-based parenting program. The thirty-minute program was delivered to parents of kindergarten children. Through focus groups and analyzing parents' interactions with the online program, the pilot project found that parents reacted positively to the online, interactive format and the strength-based content. Additionally, within the sample, the program was accessible to families of lower socio-economic status who are difficult to access with in-person resources. Although the pilot project generated promising results, it relied on a small sample and effectiveness was not examined. The present project aims to build upon this initial work by using the pilot project results to revise the program and evaluating the revised program using a larger sample of caregivers.
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
Study Locations
-
-
Ontario
-
Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1E 6K2
- Upper Grand District School Board
-
-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
- Child
- Adult
- Older Adult
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Parent of a child(ren) who is enrolled in Kindergarten to Grade 3 at the Upper Grand District School Board in Guelph, Ontario
- Able to read and write in English (linguistic proficiency equivalent to a Grade 8 reading level or greater)
- Consent to participate in the research study
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: Experimental Group
|
In an online, self-directed format, the Strengths to Grow program will present the principles of strength-based parenting using videos, pictures, reflection questions, and written text.
The intervention will communicate that a) every child has a unique set of strengths and that b) noticing and developing these strengths can enhance child and family well-being.
It will also provide concrete steps that parents can follow to talk with their child about strengths, and it will provide ideas for family activities that would allow family members to express strengths.
Participants will be invited to respond to reflection questions at various points throughout the program.
|
|
No Intervention: Waitlist Control Group
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Parenting Sense of Competence Scale: Efficacy Subscale
Time Frame: 1 week
|
The efficacy subscale of the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) is a 7-item measure of caregivers' perceived competence and capability in handling child problems (e.g., "I honestly believe I have all the skills necessary to be a good parent to my child").
Participants respond to each item using a 6-point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree.
Total scores range from 7 to 42 with higher scores indicate higher caregiving self-efficacy.
|
1 week
|
|
Modified Differential Emotions Scale
Time Frame: 1 week
|
The Modified Differential Emotions Scale (mDES) is a ten-item measure of the frequency of positive emotions.
Participants rate how often they have felt a particular positive emotion (e.g., grateful) in the past two weeks using a 5-point scale ranging from "never" to "most of the time".
Consistent with Waters and Sun (2016), the scale instructions will be modified to assess the frequency of positive emotions felt in relation to the parents' child (i.e., "Thinking about your child(ren), how often do you feel each of the following?")
Total scores range from 10 to 50 with higher scores indicate more positive emotions toward the child(ren).
|
1 week
|
|
Subjective Happiness Scale
Time Frame: 1 week
|
The four-item Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) assesses participant's sense of their overall well-being.
Participants respond to items (e.g., Some people are generally very happy.
They enjoy life regardless of what is going on, getting the most out of everything.
To what extent does this characterization describe you?) on a 7-point scale that differs across items.
Total scores range from 4 to 28 with higher scores indicate higher happiness.
|
1 week
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Margaret Lumley, PhD, CPsych, University of Guelph
Publications and helpful links
General Publications
- Danaher BG, Boles SM, Akers L, Gordon JS, Severson HH. Defining participant exposure measures in Web-based health behavior change programs. J Med Internet Res. 2006 Aug 30;8(3):e15. doi: 10.2196/jmir.8.3.e15.
- Eisner M, Meidert U. Stages of parental engagement in a universal parent training program. J Prim Prev. 2011 Apr;32(2):83-93. doi: 10.1007/s10935-011-0238-8.
- Fernandez MA, Eyberg SM. Predicting treatment and follow-up attrition in parent-child interaction therapy. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2009 Apr;37(3):431-41. doi: 10.1007/s10802-008-9281-1.
- Fredrickson, B. L. (2013). Chapter One-Positive Emotions Broaden and Build. In P. Devine & A. Plant (Eds.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology (Vol. 47, pp. 1-53). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-407236-7.00001-2
- Johnston, C., & Mash, E. J. (1989). A Measure of Parenting Satisfaction and Efficacy. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 18(2), 167-175. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp1802_8
- Kazdin, A. E., & Rabbitt, S. M. (2013). Novel models for delivering mental health services and reducing the burdens of mental illness. Clinical Psychological Science, 1(2), 170-191. https://doi.org/10/gc4pnm
- Lavigne JV, Lebailly SA, Gouze KR, Binns HJ, Keller J, Pate L. Predictors and correlates of completing behavioral parent training for the treatment of oppositional defiant disorder in pediatric primary care. Behav Ther. 2010 Jun;41(2):198-211. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2009.02.006. Epub 2009 Dec 5.
- Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A Measure of Subjective Happiness: Preliminary Reliability and Construct Validation. Social Indicators Research, 46(2), 137-155. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006824100041
- McGoron, L., & Ondersma, S. J. (2015). Reviewing the need for technological and other expansions of evidence-based parent training for young children. Children and Youth Services Review, 59, 71-83. https://doi.org/10/f8bhbv
- O'Byrne R, Thompson R, Friedmann JS, Lumley MN. Parent Engagement with an Online, School-Based, Character Strengths Promotion Program. Int J Appl Posit Psychol. 2022;7(3):355-377. doi: 10.1007/s41042-022-00072-4. Epub 2022 Aug 11.
- Ritterband, L. M., Cox, D. J., Gordon, T. L., Borowitz, S. M., Kovatchev, B. P., Walker, L. S., & Sutphen, J. L. (2006). Examining the Added Value of Audio, Graphics, and Interactivity in an Internet Intervention for Pediatric Encopresis. Children's Health Care, 35(1), 47-59. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326888chc3501_5
- Shoshani A, Shwartz L. From Character Strengths to Children's Well-Being: Development and Validation of the Character Strengths Inventory for Elementary School Children. Front Psychol. 2018 Nov 2;9:2123. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02123. eCollection 2018.
- Waters, L. (2015a). The relationship between strength-based parenting with children's stress levels and strength-based coping approaches. Psychology, 06(06), 689-699. https://doi.org/10/gdj4w6
- Waters, L. (2015b). Strength-based parenting and life satisfaction in teenagers. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2(11), 158-173. https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.211.1651
- Waters, L. (2020). Using positive psychology interventions to strengthen family happiness: A family systems approach. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 0(0), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1789704
- Waters, L., Loton, D., & Jach, H. K. (2018). Does Strength-Based Parenting Predict Academic Achievement? The Mediating Effects of Perseverance and Engagement. Journal of Happiness Studies. https://doi.org/10/gfscg8
- Waters, L., & Sun, J. (2016). Can a brief strength-based parenting intervention boost self-efficacy and positive emotions in parents? International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 1(1), 41-56. https://doi.org/10/gfschb
- Ivtzan, I., Niemiec, R. M., & Briscoe, C. (2016). A study investigating the effects of Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) on wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 6(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10/gfscgj
- Jach, H. K., Sun, J., Loton, D., Chin, T.-C., & Waters, L. (2018). Strengths and subjective wellbeing in adolescence: Strength-based parenting and the moderating effect of mindset. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(2), 567-586. https://doi.org/10/gfscg9
- Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Introduction to a "manual of the sanities." In Character strengths and virtues (pp. 18-104). American Psychological Association; Oxford University Press. https://books.scholarsportal.info/uri/ebooks/ebooks0/oxford/2009-11-30/3/0195167015
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start (Actual)
Primary Completion (Actual)
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Actual)
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Estimated)
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Other Study ID Numbers
- 21-08-001
Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)
Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?
IPD Plan Description
Drug and device information, study documents
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product
product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.