Evaluating A Brief Telehealth Positive Parenting Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Additional work is needed to increase the accessibility and scalability of parenting interventions. Selected Positive Parenting Program (i.e., Triple P) is a brief, evidence-based parenting intervention, but the efficacy of telehealth delivery has not yet been tested. This three-arm randomized controlled trial evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of Selected Triple P delivered as a universal intervention through telehealth. We also investigated whether an active discussion component administered by mental health providers improved outcomes. This clinical trial was retrospectively registered on 3/3/2025 (NCT06865183). Participants included 97 parents/caregivers of children ages 2-12 randomly assigned to one of three conditions: intervention-as-usual (90-min condition; n = 32), intervention without an active discussion (60-min condition; n = 24), or waitlist control (n = 41). Parents completed assessments at baseline and 2-months post-intervention. No baseline differences were found between conditions on any demographic or outcome variables. Parents in both intervention conditions reported high levels of satisfaction and acceptability, with no significant differences observed between groups. Results indicated that, compared to the control group, parents in the 90-min condition reported significant increases in positive reinforcement and positive parenting, along with reductions in parental hostility; decreases in negative parenting also approached significance. Although changes were not statistically significant for parents in the 60-min condition relative to the control group, there were no significant differences between intervention conditions across these outcomes. Current findings have important implications for the scalability and dissemination of universal parenting interventions, as well as strategies for increasing access to mental health services among families. ClinicalTrials.gov 3/3/2025; Registration Number: NCT06865183. Trial Registration.