Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40598667›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2025

Protocol for a randomized and a non-randomized controlled trial testing Daily Growth: a personalised 'ecological momentary intervention' parenting app for parents and carers of children aged 2-5 years.

Elizabeth M Westrupp, Maria Bates, Kelsie J Bufton, Tomer B Berkowitz, Melody Popple, Gabriella L King, Sara Jones, Jem Stone, Joost J C Funke Kupper, John W Toumbourou and 13 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. "Connecting to the Earth" (Australian journal of psychology · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

23 authors.

Elizabeth M WestruppSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia. elizabeth.westrupp@deakin.edu.au.
Maria BatesSchool of Communication & Creative Arts, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Kelsie J BuftonSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Tomer B BerkowitzSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Melody PoppleSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Gabriella L KingSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Sara JonesWayapa Wuurrk, Melbourne, Australia.
Jem StoneWayapa Wuurrk, Melbourne, Australia.
Joost J C Funke KupperApplied Artificial Intelligence Initiative, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
John W ToumbourouSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Chandan KarmakarSchool of Information Technology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Sophie S HavighurstMindful, Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, Travancore, Australia.
Christiane E KehoeMindful, Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, Travancore, Australia.
Maia AngelovaSir Peter Rigby Digital Future Institute, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, UK.
Melissa O'SheaSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Leslie TarrantWayapa Wuurrk, Melbourne, Australia.
Lisa S OliveSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Subhadra EvansSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Stefanie EwaldSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Julia M MikockaSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Keri LittleSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Kylie D HeskethInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Matthew Fuller-TyszkiewiczSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council GNT2019442
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChildren's ability to regulate their emotions is a critical protective factor for early mental health and development and is strongly influenced by parenting. Parenting programs can improve these outcomes for children, however, most families, particularly those from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds, never receive evidence-based support. There is a pressing need for parenting programs that are widely accessible and meaningfully tailored to individual needs and real-time parenting challenges to enhance parent engagement. This protocol outlines the design of two staged trials testing Daily Growth, a universal parenting app for parents/carers of children 2-5 years. The first trial will evaluate the app's effectiveness as implemented in a real-world community-based trial, while the second will develop and test a machine learning system for personalising support based on Trial 1 data.

methodsIn Trial 1, parents/carers (n = 1,650) will be recruited and randomised to one of five groups: 150 to active control (government parenting website); 100 each to one of three programs (Emotion Coaching, Active Play, or Wayapa Wuurrk); 1,200 to a non-personalised random combination of all three. Trial 2 (non-randomised) will recruit 400 parents/carers to receive personalised support, with program content from the three programs allocated via a machine learning algorithm based on baseline data. Both trials will run for six weeks where participants will receive twice-daily prompts to complete a 1-min pre-ecological momentary intervention (pre-EMI) survey and non-control participants offered three-minute videos tailored to specific parenting challenges. A post-EMI survey will be delivered 15 min later to assess immediate outcomes. Participants in both trials will complete baseline, six-week, and six-month follow-up surveys. Outcomes from the non-personalised trial will be compared to the fully personalised app and control/single program groups via EMI and post/follow-up on parenting and parent/child emotion regulation. DISCUSSION: This study introduces a novel digital program combining co-designed parenting content, real-time delivery, tailoring to ensure practical relevance, and algorithm-driven personalisation. By testing standardised and personalised app versions, it will evaluate whether real-time personalised parenting support improves parent/child emotion regulation, engagement, and program acceptability. Findings will inform future approaches to scalable, inclusive, and responsive parenting support in early childhood.

trial registrationThis trial is registered with ANZCTR, registration number ACTRN12624000937516; ACTRN12624001023549, and includes all items from the WHO Trial Registration Data Set.

Indexed as

CaregiversEcological Momentary AssessmentMobile ApplicationsParentingParentsAdultChild, PreschoolEmotionsFemaleHumansMachine LearningMaleNon-Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicActive playChild developmentDaily GrowthEmotion coachingEmotion regulationEmotion socialisationInterventionParentingProgram

Identifiers

PMID40598667
PMCPMC12217908

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.