Hybrid Delivery to Increase Access and Sustainability: Evaluating ezParent Implementation

Positive parenting practices (e.g., supportive, consistent, responsive) buffer the negative effects of early adverse experiences by developing safe, stable, and nurturing environments. Positive parenting practices are important in strengthening and creating positive childhood and supporting optimal child social and behavioral development. Parent training (PT) is the gold standard for supporting and strengthening parenting practices and preventing and treating child behavior problems. The PT program proposed in this study is the web-based adaptation of the evidence-based based Chicago Parent Program (CPP), called ezParent. The purpose of this study is to test the effects of hybrid delivery of ezParent versus a waitlist control on parent and child outcomes. Hybrid ezParent combines the self-administered ezParent with virtual or in-person group meetings. Hybrid ezParent lasts \~ 8 weeks and includes four 1-1.5 hour group sessions led by trained facilitators, held via Zoom or in person. Facilitators follow a discussion guide to reinforce content, build community, and support program use.

A cluster-randomized trial will be conducted with 16 organizations (sites) randomized to either the intervention (hybrid ezParent) or control condition (waitlist control). There will be 8 sites per condition. Each site will recruit approximately 32 parents of children aged 2-5 years, for a total sample size of approximately 516 parents. All participating parents within a given site will receive the condition assigned to that site. Once sites are randomized to intervention or waitlist control, parents are invited to participate through recruitment materials. Outcome data will be collected from parents at 3 timepoints over 6 months at baseline, and 10 and 24- weeks post-baseline. Outcome data includes parenting skills and self-efficacy, parent-child relationship, and reductions in child behavior problems.