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Interventions to help parents engage effectively with their child have been shown to improve well-being in adolescence. Now, researchers in New Zealand have evaluated whether a text messaging intervention improves parental competence and mental health literacy in parents of teenagers.
In this clinical trial, 221 parents (95% mothers) of 10- to 15-year-olds were randomized to receive a daily text message for 4 weeks or no intervention (control group). Texts contained tips on parenting and information on adolescent mental health derived from evidence-based guidelines. Parents chose the time of day to receive the daily text message. The primary outcome was parental competence (i.e., reported satisfaction and self-efficacy in parenting). Data we…