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Adaptation and implementation outcomes of a parenting program for low-income, ethnically diverse families delivered virtually versus in-person
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Adaptation and implementation outcomes of a parenting program for low-income, ethnically diverse families delivered virtually versus in-person

Natalie Grafft, Alyssa Aftosmes-Tobio, Cristina Gago, Kindra Lansburg, Jacob Beckerman-Hsu, Brooke Trefry, Shiriki Kumanyika and Kirsten Davison
Translational behavioral medicine
01 Nov 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac077
PMID: 36318233
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
url
https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibac077View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified),  Open

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Science & Technology
Driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, many in-person health behavior interventions were compelled to quickly pivot to a virtual format with little time or capacity to reflect on or examine possible equity-related implications of a format that required digital access and remote learning skills. Using a parenting program for low-income families as a case study, this paper (a) outlines the process of adapting the program from an in-person to a virtual format and (b) examines the equity-related implications of this adaptation. Parents Connect for Healthy Living (PConnect) is a 10-session empowerment-focused parenting intervention designed to promote family health for Head Start families. In 2020, PConnect was adapted over a 6-month period from an in-person to a virtual format due to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Three core elements were retained in the adaptation; session content, provision of coaching support for facilitators, and the co-facilitation model. Key modifications include session length, group composition, and language of program delivery. Head Start and PConnect records provided data to compare reach, acceptability, and appropriateness of virtual and in-person PConnect. Seventy-eight parents enrolled in the in-person program and 58 in the virtual program. Participant demographics and satisfaction were similar across formats, and demographics similar to the general Head Start population. Participation was higher in the virtual format. Parents participated in the virtual program primarily via smart phones (68%). This case study supports the acceptability and appropriateness of virtual parenting programs in ethnically diverse, low-resource settings. Lay Summary The purpose of this study was to examine the process of adapting an in-person health and empowerment parenting program, Parents Connect for Healthy Living (PConnect), to a virtual format, and examine if this adaptation and implementation of the virtual format led to inequities. Modifications to in-person PConnect to accommodate a virtual format included session length, group composition, and language of program delivery. Participant demographics and satisfaction were similar across the in-person and virtual formats. Attendance was slightly higher in the virtual format, and differences in attendance rates by race/ethnicity in the virtual program were less apparent. Findings from this case study indicate future programs for parents in low-resource settings should consider a virtual or hybrid approach.

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12 Record Views
9 citations in Web of Science
5 citations in Scopus

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#4 Quality Education

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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