The impact of a mobile application on parental attitudes, their knowledge of child development, and sense of parenting self-competence: A pilot study

Abstract

BackgroundParenting apps have become increasingly used in parents’ everyday life. This growth offers the possibility for simple, low-cost parenting interventions to a wide range of populations. These apps may contribute to a decrease in social inequality as they promote access to information and health. The content provided by these apps varies from prevention messages and parenting tips to more specific parental guidance and activity suggestions. However, few studies have examined their effect on parenting competence and attitudes. The French Gazouyi app aims to promote parenting skills and to provide parents with the means to play in a positive way with their child. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine, over a period of 3 months, the acceptability, the relevance, and the impact of the use of a digital application by parents of young children aged from birth to 2 years of age. The app proposes developmentally appropriate play activities developed by professionals. Materials and methodsIn all, 137 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=60) and a control group (n=77). Both groups completed the EPAQ, the QAECEP and the KIDI questionnaires at the beginning of the study (T1) and again three months later (T2). EPAQ is designed to evaluate parental awaremess and attitudes about parenthood and child development. The QAECEP measures the parenting sense of competence. The KIDI assesses practical knowledge of parenting styles, early development processes, and behavioral milestones. The intervention group was asked to perform four activities per week on Gazouyi. The app offers different types of play activities in four aspects of child development: language, motor, sensory and social. ResultsOverall, no significant differences between the two groups were found. Between T1 and T2, both the intervention and the control group had a significant increase in the QAECEP score. At both assessment points, the number of correct responses to the KIDI and the EPAQ score was high in both groups. However, significant links between scores of parenting competence and some sociodemographic factors were observed. Regression analyses showed that, for frequent users, high scores on the EPAQ were positively predicted for at-term delivery and female children. For infrequent users, high scores on the QAECEP were positively predicted for at-term delivery, infants’ growth, and the level of the fathers’ education. Correct answers on the KIDI were positively predicted for low household incomes, female children, at-term delivery, and nursery childcare. ConclusionsAs the first French study to assess the impact of a parenting app and despite its several shortcomings, this study demonstrated that French parents have a strong interest in apps and digital sources of information that may potentially help them in their role as parents. However, further studies should be conducted to improve these apps, to know how parents use them, what effects this type of device can produce, and what improvements could be made.