In great demand are efficient mechanisms for delivery of evidence-based interventions for promoting social-emotional development and early positive behavior of all children, and especially for those with or at risk for disabilities. The rise of Internet use has created potentially new avenues for intervention delivery, which, when paired with the many recent advances in computer networking and multimedia technology, is fueling this demand. This article describes the development of an Internet-based, computer-delivered parent-training intervention, Infant Net, with infants at risk for poor social-emotional outcomes. Results of a randomized control trial of the Infant Net intervention with 40 parent-infant dyads showed significant increase, reflecting a medium to large effect size, in infant social engagement and engagement with the environment for infants in the intervention group as compared to the control group. Implications are discussed with regard to future research.
Increases in personal computer ownership and Internet use patterns provide a potential avenue for dissemination of evidence‐based prevention and treatment interventions. The authors describe the implementation of a psychoeducational intervention (the Incredible Years parenting program, which is designed to promote behavioral change in parents and children) using a hybrid model combining computer‐ and web‐based delivery with professional intervention via phone calls, electronic messages, and home visits. The model attempted to simulate many of the parent training methods shown to be successful in the original program. The intervention was implemented with 90 Head Start families who reported elevated levels of child behavior problems. Of the 45 families offered the intervention in the final year of the project, 37 (82%) completed at least half the program and 34 (76%) completed the entire intervention using procedures refined in light of the initial year's experience. These participants reported high achievement of their self‐determined goals and were highly satisfied with the intervention. The combination of technology with professional coaching represents a potential model for adapting and disseminating evidence‐based interventions.
8 December 2018 in Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Diabetes self-management is a challenging task due to its complexity and ever-present barriers to self-care. A key issue for patients, providers, and healthcare systems is how to deliver personalized behavioral support in ways that are affordable and can reach most patients. The Internet offers several advantages in this regard because it is available 24 hours a day, low cost, and capable of reaching thousands of patients. Although Internet sites for diabetes support are popular, they have not been evaluated. For this study, a Web site for diabetes self-management that emphasized personalized goal setting, feedback, and social support was developed. Over a 10-week period, 111 different persons logged onto D-NET for a total of 21 046 accesses. Users included persons across a broad age range (up to age 77 years) and duration of diabetes. The most popular areas of the site were the Social Support Conference and the Diabetes Information Pages. User ratings revealed high satisfaction with the service. The Internet has great potential for providing needed support and services for patients with diabetes and other chronic illnesses.