Journal article
Optimising a digital intervention to support parents experiencing socio-economic disadvantage to improve adolescent health behaviours: Protocol for the Health4Life Parents & Teens factorial trial
Contemporary Clinical Trials, Vol.154, pp.1-9
2025
PMID: 40393617
Abstract
Background: Youth experiencing socio-economic disadvantage often have elevated rates of health risk behaviours. Although adolescence is a time of increasing autonomy for youth, parents continue to play a significant role in their health. Parent-based interventions can reduce barriers faced by families experiencing disadvantage and improve adolescent outcomes. However, few such interventions addressing multiple risk behaviours exist for this population. This study aims to: i) systematically test the individual and synergistic effects of four parent-based intervention components, and ii) assemble an optimised intervention in which all components are effective in improving parental encouragement of adolescent health habits, while imposing the least possible burden on parents.
Methods: Guided by the Multiphase Optimisation Strategy, we will conduct a 24 factorial trial with 389 parents of adolescents in Australia. All parents will receive six online modules (screen time, smoking/vaping, alcohol, sleep, food/nutrition, physical activity). Parents will be randomised to receive 1 of 16 combinations of additional components: text messages, tailored feedback, stress management, and health coaching. Parents will complete surveys at baseline and 3-months post-baseline. The primary outcome is change in parental encouragement of adolescent health habits at 3-months (proximal outcome). Parent's health behaviours, self-efficacy, stress, communication and the acceptability and burden (perceived effort to complete) of each component will also be assessed.
Discussion: This study will result in a digital intervention for families experiencing socio-economic disadvantage that is as effective as possible in improving parental encouragement of adolescent health habits, and that can be delivered with minimal burden, which is critical for translation.
The trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12624001492549 date registered: 20/12/2024).
Details
- Title
- Optimising a digital intervention to support parents experiencing socio-economic disadvantage to improve adolescent health behaviours: Protocol for the Health4Life Parents & Teens factorial trial
- Authors
- Katrina E. Champion (Corresponding Author) - The University of SydneyLily Davidson - The University of SydneyEmily Hunter - The University of SydneyLouise Thornton - University of Newcastle AustraliaBonnie Spring - Florida State UniversityBridie Osman - The University of SydneyMatthew Sunderland - The University of SydneyCath Chapman - The University of SydneyTracy Burrows - University of Newcastle AustraliaTim Slade - The University of SydneyStephanie R. Partridge - The University of SydneyLauren Gardner - The University of SydneyBelinda Parmenter - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Sports & Exercise ScienceLouise A. Baur - The University of SydneyMaree Teesson - The University of SydneyCathrine Mihalopoulos - Monash UniversityAlex Haidinger - The University of SydneyTara Finn - Hunter Medical Research InstituteLyra Egan - The University of SydneyGeorge Johnson - Sydney Local Health DistrictEmily Stockings - The University of SydneySusan Woolfenden - Sydney Local Health DistrictNicola C. Newton - The University of SydneyDavid R. Lubans - University of Newcastle Australia
- Publication details
- Contemporary Clinical Trials, Vol.154, pp.1-9
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cct.2025.107958
- ISSN
- 1559-2030
- PMID
- 40393617
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
- Data Availability
- Upon completion of the study, data will be made available upon reasonable request to the study team.
- Grant note
- This study is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health's Medical Research Future Fund (MRF2021535). KC is funded by a University of Sydney Horizon Fellowship. LT is funded by a grant from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRF2017307). BS is funded by U.S. National Institutes of Health R01 grant DK125404. TB (#1173681), CC (#2026552), LAB (#2009035), LG (#2033054), MT (#1195284) and ES (#2017346) are funded by NHMRC Investigator Grants. SRP is funded by a Sydney Horizon Fellowship and a National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (#106646). GJ is funded by an In-Kind contribution from the SIWCF. The funders had no role in study design, writing of the paper, or the decision to submit the paper for publication.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991137205802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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