The “SES NXT” digital intervention for children of relationship dissolution: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial study

Parental relationship dissolution is among the most prevalent life crises for youths and is associated with both short- and long-term intra- and interpersonal struggles. Extant support programs tend to be in-person and in a group format. However, the structure and personnel needed for these programs make them costly to implement, less accessible, and difficult to scale. Digital interventions may present a suitable alternative. The current study examines the effectiveness of an online psycho-social intervention for children who have experienced parental relationship dissolution in Denmark, using a two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial study design. Families are recruited through Danish municipalities and the Danish Agency of Family Law and randomly assigned to the intervention group or wait-list control group. Individuals are assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post-baseline; parents complete questionnaires on behalf of their children aged 3-10, while youth aged 11-17 complete the questionnaires themselves. The primary study outcomes are 1) emotional problems symptoms, as measured by the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), 2) mental well-being related difficulties, represented by the SDQ-Total scale score, and 3) impact of problems on daily life, as assessed by the SDQ-Impact scale score, at 12-weeks post-baseline. The data will be analyzed using a generalized estimating equation, accounting for non-independence of data (nesting of children within a family). The present study will contribute to the extant knowledge about the effectiveness of digital interventions for youths experiencing parental relationship dissolution and contribute to a cost-effective evidence-based scalable psychological help for a population who needs it.