ParentText Optimisation Study: A Chatbot-led Intervention Aimed to Promote Playful Parenting and Prevent Violence Against Children

Project outline

Background

ParentText is a chatbot-led parenting intervention that aims to increase positive parenting and reduce child maltreatment. Developed for parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 17 years, the ParentText 5-Day User Experience Evaluation Trial builds on positive findings of the ParentText Optimisation Trial, which evaluated the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of ParentText in South Africa. Findings of this research also support the wider dissemination and scale-up of PLH human-digital programmes, and more specifically the ongoing and forthcoming delivery of ParentText in multiple countries, including Malaysia, Mexico, China, South Africa, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.

During 2024, the team finalised quantitative and qualitative data collection for the Optimisation RCT in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Analysis of this data is well underway with results expected soon. Additionally, the team designed, implemented and began to evaluate a digital-only 5-Day version of the ParentText programme through a large-scale RCT involving over 20,000. The team has completed a three-month post-baseline assessment of the intervention, with qualitative data collection expected by February 2025.