Optimizing Parent Engagement: Results from a Population-Level, Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Parenting Program Engagement Strategies

Introduction: Children exposed to risk factors (e.g., poverty) benefit from evidence-based parenting programs. Yet, parenting programs have had a small public health impact, due in part to low reach. Few experimental trials have examined parent engagement in preventive parenting programs, leaving little information about what works to improve reach. We conducted a population-level, randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a parent engagement package on increasing enrollment and initiation (i.e., attending at least one session) into the Triple P parenting program (group level 4). The engagement package included four components: informational flyer; testimonial booklet; teacher endorsement; and group leader engagement call (EC). We hypothesized: 1) the full package would increase enrollment and initiation compared to each component; and 2) personal strategies (teacher endorsement and EC) would be more effective than impersonal ones (e.g., flyer).

Methods: The sampling pool of 1,847 kindergarten to third grade families was drawn from five Title 1 schools. Families were eligible if they spoke English or Spanish, did not withdraw from the school, and were not involved in other parenting programs. All eligible families (N = 1,331; 72%) were randomly assigned to an engagement condition: 1) informational flyer; 2) flyer + testimonial booklet; 3) flyer + teacher endorsement; 4) flyer + EC; or 5) full package. Engagement strategies and Triple P were implemented by school personnel.

Results: Results of logistic regression analyses testing hypothesis 1 showed enrollment was significantly higher in the full package (39%) compared to the flyer (11%; OR=5.29), testimonial booklet (12%; OR=4.85), and teacher endorsement (22%; OR=2.35) conditions (p’s < .001). Initiation was significantly higher for the full package (25%) compared to the flyer (9%; p < .001; OR=3.33), testimonial booklet (10%; p < .001; OR=3.02), and teacher endorsement (13%; p < .01; OR=2.23) (p’s < .01). There were no significant differences between the full package and the EC condition. For hypothesis 2, enrollment rates were significantly higher in the teacher endorsement (OR=2.25; p < .01) and group leader EC conditions (OR=5.58; p < .001) compared to the flyer condition. However, initiation rates were significantly higher only in the group leader EC condition (OR=3.14; p < .001).

Conclusions: Although both the EC and full package increased parenting program enrollment and initiation, the additional strategies in the full package did not increase enrollment or initiation beyond the effects of the EC component. Findings suggest that implementing the EC component would provide an effective and efficient way to increase parenting program participation in school settings.