ArticleBMC psychology2019
Process evaluation of text-based support for fathers during the transition to fatherhood (SMS4dads): mechanisms of impact.
Article in BMC psychology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 39 citations in OpenAlex.
- Community-based interventions to promote paternal mental wellbeing and prevent poor mental health during the perinatal period: a mixed methods systematic review.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Engaging Parents in Technology-Assisted Interventions for Childhood Adversity: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Digital Parenting Interventions for Fathers of Infants From Conception to the Age of 12 Months: Systematic Review of Mixed Methods Studies.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- Help-seeking in perinatal fathers: a scoping review of needs, barriers, facilitators, and access to support.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Review
- Screening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fathers' mental health through a digital parenting programme.Health promotion international · 2025Article
- Using mHealth to Support Queensland Mothers and Children From Birth to Two Years: A Longitudinal Study of Connecting2u.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2025Article
- Men's mental health and suicide prevention service landscape in Australia: a scoping review.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Expectant and new fathers say they need resources and sources of support.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Engaging fathers(to-be): a pilot study on the adaptation and programme experience of SMS4baba intervention in Kenya's informal settlements.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Designing Child Nutrition Interventions to Engage Fathers: Qualitative Analysis of Interviews and Co-Design Workshops.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2024Article
- Paternal Perinatal Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Framework Analysis of the Reddit Forum Predaddit.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Testing the acceptability of stillbirth awareness messages in an SMS program for fathers.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2023Article
- Participants' Perceptions of Essential Coaching for Every Mother-a Canadian Text Message-Based Postpartum Program: Process Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- The Development and Pilot of a Technology-Based Intervention in the United States for Father's Mental Health in the Perinatal Period.American journal of men's healthReview
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere is growing evidence for the value of technology-based programs to support fathers to make positive transitions across the perinatal period. However, past research has focused on program outcomes with little attention to the mechanisms of impact. Knowledge of why a program works increases potential for replication across contexts.
methodsParticipants were 40 Australian fathers enrolled in the SMS4dads text-based perinatal support program (Mean age 35.11 (5.87). From a starting point between 16 weeks gestation and 12 weeks postpartum, they were sent a maximum of 184 text messages. An inductive approach was used to analyse post-program semi-structured interviews. The aim was to identify mechanisms of impact aligned to previously identified program outcomes, which were that SMS4dads: 1) is helpful/useful; 2) lessens a sense of isolation; 3) promotes the father-infant relationship; and 4) supports the father-partner relationship.
resultsWe identified two types of mechanisms: four were structural within the program messages and five were psychological within the participant. The structural mechanisms included: syncing information to needs; normalisation; prompts to interact; and, the provision of a safety net. The psychological mechanisms were: increase in knowledge; feelings of confidence; ability to cope; role orientation; and, the feeling of being connected. These mechanisms interacted with each other to produce the pre-identified program outcomes.
conclusionsIf the current findings are generalisable then, future mobile health program design and evaluation would benefit from explicit consideration to how both program components and individual cognitive and behavioural processes combine to elicit targeted outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.