JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 globally – i.e., ensuring all children have equal and equitable access to quality early education so they are ready to enter primary school and have at least minimum proficiency in reading and math by age ten – is far from being realised. COVID-19 has further compromised progress by disrupting early education, reducing access to wellbeing resources, and increasing violence against children (VAC) and exposure to family violence. In-person parenting programmes have been effective at improving child learning outcomes and preventing VAC. However, implementing these interventions at scale to maximise reach and impact requires innovative solutions, including digital delivery. Determining the most feasible, effective, and cost-effective programme delivery modes is critical.

Objective:

This pilot trial aims to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and engagement for different combinations of three components of a human-digital hybrid playful parenting programme (Naungan Kasih) in Malaysia, which aims to improve playful positive parenting, learning through play, and child educational outcomes. The three components are the chatbot-led ParentText, WhatsApp Support Groups, and in-person sessions.

Methods:

This mixed-method pilot cluster randomised factorial trial will be conducted in two Malaysian states: Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan. Quantitative data will comprise pre-post caregiver reports on dimensions related to themselves, their families, and specifically their children, and digitally tracked engagement data. Qualitative data will be collected via focus groups with parents and individual interviews with teachers who facilitate the delivery of the intervention.

Results:

N/A

Conclusions:

This is the first factorial randomised trial to evaluate the feasibility of a hybrid human-digital playful parenting programme in Southeast Asia. The results of this study will inform a large-scale optimisation trial to establish the most effective, cost-effective, and scalable version of the intervention in Malaysia. Clinical Trial: The trial was registered on the Open Science Framework on 5 December 2023 (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/F32KY).