OPTIMA RCT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Online Parent Training for The Initial Management of ADHD Referrals: A two-arm parallel randomised controlled trial of a digital parenting intervention implemented on a treatment waitlist.
IRAS ID
303121
Contact name
Edmund Sonuga-Barke
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Around 4% of UK children have high levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention - 90% of whom also display difficult-to-manage behaviour known as conduct problems. This can stress parents, lower their self-esteem, and negatively impact family life.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that parents of children with these kinds of problems get support as soon as possible after they seek professional help. However, clinical services are overstretched, and traditional in-person parent training is expensive, families often wait very long to receive this vital input.
To address this, we have created a digital parent training course - Structured E-Parenting Support (STEPS). It is delivered as a mobile app and provides low-cost support that can be easily accessed at parents’ convenience. This study aims to test if STEPS helps parents reduce children’s conduct problems during the difficult waiting period for clinical assessment.We will recruit 352 parents of children, who have recently been accepted onto a waitlist by children’s health services (from both NHS and non-NHS organisations), and who have high levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention, and conduct problems. Half will receive STEPS for three months and half will continue waiting for a clinical assessment. Parents will also complete questionnaires about their child’s behaviour and attention and about parenting – this will be done five times over 12 months; parents and children will also complete a joint online drawing task. We will test whether STEPS helps parents manage and reduce their children’s conduct problems and whether the app is good value for money. We will also look at the effects of STEPS on parenting, including parenting-related strain, and parent-child relationship and check for any unexpected negative effects of STEPS. Finally, we will interview clinicians to better understand whether using STEPS during waitlist period is helpful and of use to the services.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/NW/0319
Date of REC Opinion
26 Nov 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion