JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Between 15-20% of parents and children struggle with a wide range of difficulties, which presents a risk for unhealthy developmental pathways. It is, therefore, important that health services have access to interventions which target a broader range of problems that can reach many parents. However, despite the increasing evidence base concerning the efficacy of internet-based intervention, the pace in transitioning such interventions to healthcare has been slow, particularly in infant and child mental health

Objective:

The purpose of the current study was to examine the degree to which personnel in infant and child services perceive internet-based parent support interventions for different target groups or problems to be useful.

Methods:

Between May and September 2018, a total of 2 884 infant and child health leaders and practitioners were recruited to a cross-sectional web-based survey. Participants, 16 years or older, were recruited either through a) the Regional Centre for Child and Adolescents, Eastern and Southern Norway, course database, b) an official mailing list to infant and child health services, c) social media or d) other recruitment channels. Respondents filled in background information and were asked to rate the perceived usefulness of internet-based interventions for 12 different problem areas based on the broad categories from the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0-5; e.g., parent-child relationship problems, developmental delays/disorders, externalizing and internalizing problems).

Results:

Results showed that a majority of infant and child health practitioners reported a moderate-to-high degree of perceived usefulness of internet-based interventions for different infant and child mental health problems (on a scale from 0 to 3; all Ms > 1.61). Usefulness of internet-based interventions was rated acceptable for mild-and-moderate problems; whereas fewer reported that it would be useful for more severe psychiatric problems such as obsessive behaviors, developmental disorders or trauma. Also, there were a few, but small differences in perceived usefulness between service leaders and practitioners (all ds < .32), and small-to-moderate differences between daycare centers, well-babv clinics, child welfare services, and child and adolescent mental health clinics (all ds < .69).

Conclusions:

These are encouraging findings and emphasize the relevance of e-mental health in relation to the treatment gap. In turn, these insights may inform processes of technological development, clinical use and organizational implementation of internet-based interventions.