FACILITATED VIRTUAL DISCUSSIONS FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOLERS WITHIN A DIGITAL HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAM: DEVELOPMENT AND PILOT TESTING
Access to this document is restricted. Some items have been embargoed at the request of the author, but will be made publicly available after the "No Access Until" date.
During the embargo period, you may request access to the item by clicking the link to the restricted file(s) and completing the request form. If we have contact information for a Cornell author, we will contact the author and request permission to provide access. If we do not have contact information for a Cornell author, or the author denies or does not respond to our inquiry, we will not be able to provide access. For more information, review our policies for restricted content.
Background: Digital parenting interventions offer scalable approaches to address barriers to participation in family-based nutrition and physical activity programs. However, less is known about whether facilitated virtual group discussions can foster social connection, engagement, and peer learning in ways that complement digital program content. Methods: This study developed and pilot-tested five facilitated virtual discussion sessions within the 10-week KnowHow digital parenting intervention for caregivers of preschool-aged children. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed through attendance, fidelity, and post-session ratings. Process outcomes included perceived quality of conversation and sense of community, measured using validated scales, alongside qualitative feedback from post-intervention group interviews. Results: Across two intervention cohorts (n = 12), 66.7% of participants attended at least one session and 41.7% attended at least 75% of the sessions offered. Participants reported high acceptability, with mean helpfulness ratings ranging from 4.6 to 5.0 on a 5-point scale. Perceived quality of conversation was high in both cohorts (mean range: 6.3-6.8 on a 7-point scale), as was the sense of community (mean range: 4.6-5.0 on a 5-point scale). Qualitative findings highlighted peer learning, emotional validation, and shared experiences as key benefits. Conclusions: Facilitated virtual discussions were a feasible and acceptable component of a digital parenting intervention, with potential to enhance engagement, social support, and relational connection among caregivers.