Early childhood is a formative period in which the parent-child relationship plays a
central role in child cognitive and social development. When parents of young children
experience elevated distress (e.g., depression, anxiety, and anger), it can disrupt
healthy parent-child relationships, putting children at risk for negative outcomes,
including difficult temperaments, altered cognitive development, and socioemotional
risks. Parental distress also can increase children's stress levels, heightening their
risk for mental health challenges through both genetic and environmental pathways. The
severity of parental distress has been linked to worse child developmental outcomes, but
research shows that improving parental mental health can positively impact child
functioning. Providing parents with effective mental health support can mitigate the
adverse effects of parental distress on children and interrupt the cycle of mental health
challenges within families. However, despite the significant impact of untreated parental
distress on child development, families face numerous obstacles to accessing timely and
effective mental health resources. Some barriers include long wait times and limited
availability of affordable services. These barriers increase the risk of cognitive and
socioemotional challenges for children.
In response to this growing need, the BEAM (Building Emotional Awareness and Mental
Health) program was launched as an app-based intervention that integrates parenting and
mental health supports for parents. BEAM offers expert-led videos and activities, online
group forums, progress monitoring, and facilitated support through telehealth sessions
with parent-peer coaches. The program has demonstrated success in reducing parental
anxiety, anger, and sleep difficulties, as well as in improving parent-child
interactions. Building on BEAM's success, the investigators translated BEAM into
LightBEAM, a massive online open intervention designed to deliver accessible mental
health support through an app-based platform. The LightBEAM program is designed with four
key components to provide comprehensive support for parenting and mental health: (1)
weekly parenting and mental health videos, (2) weekly progress tracking, (3) a group
forum, and (4) weekly exercises/activities. Each week, participants will have access to
professionally produced psychoeducational videos that offer evidence-based information on
topics such as managing stress, fostering positive parent-child interactions, and
promoting emotional well-being. Alongside the videos, participants will complete weekly
progress tracking to monitor changes in their emotional health and parenting experiences,
helping them identify patterns and track their progress over time. To foster a sense of
community, the program also features a moderated group forum where parents can connect,
share experiences, and provide mutual support. Additionally, participants will engage in
weekly exercises designed to reinforce the skills and strategies introduced in the
videos. Parent participants have the option to invite a co-parent or other primary
caregiver to participate in the LightBEAM program alongside them.
Massive online open interventions, such as LightBEAM, provide evidence-based behavioural
support via websites or apps, and allow participants to engage autonomously. This format
increases scalability by removing barriers associated with traditional services, such as
limited clinician availability and high costs. However, massive online interventions are
not without limitations. They may lack the direct clinical oversight needed for
individuals requiring more personalized support. While such interventions hold promise
for broad mental health service delivery, further research is necessary to evaluate their
effectiveness. Thus, this trial will assess the effectiveness and potential of the
LightBEAM program through three primary objectives. First, it will evaluate the
feasibility and acceptability of the program by examining recruitment and retention
rates, participant satisfaction, and the identification of unmet needs. Second, the trial
will measure the efficacy of LightBEAM in improving family outcomes by comparing it to a
waitlist control group. Key outcomes for parents include emotional well-being and
parenting quality, while outcomes for children focus on well-being and socioemotional
development. Finally, the trial will identify subgroups of participants who demonstrate
the greatest engagement and improvement, using this information to promote equity and
inform future program development.
By translating BEAM into LightBEAM, the investigators aim to create a scalable mental
health program for families. LightBEAM has the potential to serve families in remote
areas with limited access to in-person services, provide interim support during waitlists
for individualized care, and function as a self-referral program. By addressing parental
mental health, LightBEAM may improve family dynamics and child development, helping to
mitigate the negative effects of parental distress.