JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Web-based Parent Training (PT) programs can strengthen parent-child relationships by equipping caregivers with knowledge and evidence-based strategies to manage behavior, while also overcoming logistical and personal barriers of in-person PT programs. Web-based administrative dashboards provide administrators, facilitators, researchers, and others with detailed information about their participants’ usage, which can strengthen delivery of web-based interventions. Despite the utility of administrative dashboards, to our knowledge, no research studies have explored the perspectives and insights of dashboard users.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the usability of the administrative dashboard for the ezParent program, a web-based parent training program.

Methods:

The study used a descriptive, single group survey design with administrators who were overseeing implementation of the ezParent program (n=4) and trained facilitators for hybrid ezParent delivery (n=19). Participants were instructed to spend 30 minutes reviewing and evaluating the ezParent dashboard and then prompted to complete a survey of their experience with the dashboard. The survey included the validated 10-item System Usability Scale (SUS) as well as open-ended questions.

Results:

Respondents (n=15) indicated high usability of the ezParent Admin Dashboard, with SUS scoring a total mean score of 83.5. Most participants (87%) rated the overall user-friendliness of the dashboard as good (20%), excellent (60%), or best imaginable (7%). Open-ended questions revealed the dashboard is or would be useful to monitor parent progress (40%), communicate with parents (13%), review topics for discussion (20%), and identify trends in parent participation (13%). ezParent administrators (n=4) identified real-time data for ezParent use helps overall management of program uptake. Suggestions for features to add to the dashboard included the ability to track partial progress of program modules (29%), total time spent per module (14%), and exportable reports (7%). Other ideas for improvement included direct messaging capabilities, video-conferencing platform integration, and being able to modify participant account and contact information.

Conclusions:

Results indicate that the dashboard is easy to use and provides functional information to facilitators and administrators in delivering ezParent. Providing resources to aid in facilitation of the hybrid intervention may lead to improved parent uptake and outcomes. Qualitative results indicate that integrating suggested features into the dashboard may help provide a smoother experience for facilitators, administrators, and ultimately the parents using the program. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05217615