BEAM App for Parent Mental Health
(BEAM Trial)
Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
+1 other location
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Academic
Recruiting
Sponsor: University of Calgary
Disqualifiers: Suicide attempt, Self-harm, Child disorders, others
No Placebo Group
Approved in 1 Jurisdiction
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?This trial tests an app called BEAM designed to help parents with young children manage depression, anxiety, and anger. The app offers videos, exercises, peer coaching, and social support. It aims to improve parent mental health and reduce parenting stress, which can benefit both the parents and their children. The BEAM program has shown promise in reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents with ADHD.
Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to consult with the trial coordinators for guidance.
What data supports the effectiveness of the BEAM treatment for improving parent mental health?
The BEAM app-based program aims to reduce maternal depression and improve anxiety symptoms, parenting stress, and family relationships. Similar programs, like the Mindful Moment, have shown effectiveness in reducing parenting stress and improving mental health outcomes, suggesting that BEAM may also be beneficial.
12345Is the BEAM app safe for use in humans?
The available research does not provide specific safety data for the BEAM app, but it is designed as a mobile health program to support maternal mental health, suggesting it is generally considered safe for use.
12467How is the BEAM treatment different from other treatments for parent mental health?
The BEAM treatment is unique because it is an app-based program that simultaneously targets both maternal mental health and parenting skills, addressing a gap where most programs focus on one or the other. It is designed to be accessible and mitigate the impacts of pandemic stress on family well-being, making it particularly relevant in the context of increased mental health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
128910Eligibility Criteria
The BEAM trial is for parents over 18 living in Vancouver or Calgary with a child aged 3-4 years, who can understand English and are experiencing high levels of depression, anxiety, or anger. Parents with children having significant cognitive disorders or those with recent self-harm history cannot participate.Inclusion Criteria
Living in the Vancouver or Calgary area
I am a parent and I am 18 years old or older.
I am comfortable with English for understanding, speaking, and reading.
+2 more
Exclusion Criteria
Does not live in the Vancouver or Calgary area
I do not have severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, or anger.
My child has a condition like Down Syndrome or epilepsy, or cannot have an MRI due to metal implants.
+2 more
Trial Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
2-4 weeks
Treatment
Participants engage with the BEAM app, which includes weekly mental health and parenting videos, peer coaching, and access to a forum and optional Zoom sessions.
12 weeks
Weekly check-ins (virtual)
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in mental health, parenting stress, and child development outcomes.
6 months
Assessments at post-intervention and 6 months post-intervention
Participant Groups
This study tests the BEAM app, which offers videos on mental health and parenting, peer coaching, forums, and live sessions to support parents' mental health. The goal is to see how it affects parental stress, child behavior and development. Half of the participants will continue their usual treatments.
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: BEAM ProgramExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
The BEAM Program is delivered via mobile application, weekly check-ins, and peer coaching. BEAM includes videos with emotion-regulation strategies that come from the Unified Protocol (evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety disorders) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help with mental health, as well they focus on developing self-compassion and effective communication. There are also supportive parenting videos which focus on providing parents with emotion-focused parenting strategies, based on Tuning in to Kids® and Parent Management Training - The Oregon Model (PMTO), which aim to help parents better understand and respond to their child. There will be approximately 15-20 minutes of videos to watch weekly.
Group II: Treatment-As-UsualActive Control1 Intervention
This is the control arm of the study. It is designed to account for the potential effects of time on symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger.
Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health in Parenting (BEAM) is already approved in Canada for the following indications:
🇨🇦 Approved in Canada as BEAM for:
- Postpartum depression
- Anxiety
- Anger
Find a Clinic Near You
Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
University of British ColumbiaVancouver, Canada
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of CalgaryLead Sponsor
Alberta Children's HospitalCollaborator
Provincial Health Services AuthorityCollaborator
Brain CanadaCollaborator
MindSea DevelopmentCollaborator
Workerbee.tvCollaborator
References
Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM): study protocol for a phase III randomized controlled trial of the BEAM app-based program for mothers of children 18-36 months. [2022]The prevalence of maternal depression and anxiety has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and pregnant individuals are experiencing concerningly elevated levels of mental health symptoms worldwide. Many individuals may now be at heightened risk of postpartum mental health disorders. There are significant concerns that a cohort of children may be at-risk for impaired self-regulation and mental illness due to elevated exposure to perinatal mental illness. With both an increased prevalence of depression and limited availability of services due to the pandemic, there is an urgent need for accessible eHealth interventions for mothers of young children. The aims of this trial are to evaluate the efficacy of the Building Emotion Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM) app-based program for reducing maternal depression symptoms (primary outcome) and improve anxiety symptoms, parenting stress, family relationships, and mother and child functioning (secondary outcomes) compared to treatment as usual (TAU).
The Building Emotional Awareness and Mental health (BEAM) program developed with a community partner for mothers of infants: protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial. [2023]Drastic increases in the rates of maternal depression and anxiety have been reported since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Most programs aim to improve maternal mental health or parenting skills separately, despite it being more effective to target both concurrently. The Building Emotional Awareness and Mental health (BEAM) program was developed to address this gap. BEAM is a mobile health program aiming to mitigate the impacts of pandemic stress on family well-being. Since many family agencies lack infrastructure and personnel to adequately treat maternal mental health concerns, a partnership will occur with Family Dynamics (a local family agency) to address this unmet need. The study's objective is to examine the feasibility of the BEAM program when delivered with a community partner to inform a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT).
Processes and outcomes of an emotion-focused family therapy two-chair intervention for transforming problematic parenting patterns. [2022]Emotion-focused family therapy (EFFT) is a therapy model which includes a two-chair intervention aimed at facilitating awareness and an interruption of problematic patterns of parenting as well as a reconnection to healthy caregiving instincts. The present study employed a task analysis to examine the process of this intervention with parents in a therapeutic setting and report on preliminary outcomes. Four trained EFFT therapists conducted chair work interventions with four parents (total of 16) and parents completed questionnaires directly following the intervention. Results indicated that most parents experienced significant emotional resolution of their love-based fears and an increase in confidence in supporting their children struggling with mental health issues. Use of the intervention in clinical settings is an effective and efficient way to support parents in responding to their children's mental health challenges.
A Web-Based, Mindful, and Compassionate Parenting Training for Mothers Experiencing Parenting Stress: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Mindful Moment Program. [2022]Mindful Moment is a self-guided, web-based, mindful, and compassionate parenting training for postpartum mothers who experience parenting stress. We aimed to assess Mindful Moment's feasibility, acceptability, and usability, and to gather preliminary evidence of its effectiveness in reducing parenting stress and outcomes such as mindful parenting, self-compassion, depressive symptoms, anxious symptoms, dispositional mindfulness, mother's perception of infant temperament, and mother-infant bonding.
Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internet-Based Educational Intervention for Mothers With Mental Illnesses: An 18-Month Follow-Up. [2020]A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the effectiveness of an Internet-based educational intervention plus a peer support-moderated listserv for improving parenting skills and coping and reducing parental stress among mothers with serious mental illnesses. The analyses examined whether positive results achieved immediately after the intervention were improved upon during the 18-month postbaseline period.
Effects of a Mobile-Based Intervention for Parents of Children With Crying, Sleeping, and Feeding Problems: Randomized Controlled Trial. [2023]Excessive crying, sleeping, and feeding problems in early childhood are major stressors that can result in parents feeling socially isolated and having low self-efficacy. Affected children are a risk group for being maltreated and developing emotional and behavioral problems. Thus, the development of an innovative and interactive psychoeducational app for parents of children with crying, sleeping, and feeding problems may provide low-threshold access to scientifically based information and reduce negative outcomes in parents and children.
Co-design and qualitative validation of animated assessment item content for a child-reported digital distress screener. [2022]Label="PURPOSE" NlmCategory="OBJECTIVE">The Interactive Child Distress Screener (ICDS) is a novel, digital screening tool that is currently under development and aims to broadly assess self-reported emotional and behavioural distress in children aged five to 11 years. This study implemented a generative participatory codesign and iterative refinement process to qualitatively validate the content of 30 animated assessment items developed for the ICDS by assessing their acceptability and accuracy from the child's perspective.
The Use of Mumsnet by Parents of Young People With Mental Health Needs: Qualitative Investigation. [2020]There are high rates of mental health needs in children in the United Kingdom, and parents are increasingly seeking help for their children's needs. However, there is not enough access to child and adolescent mental health services and parents are seeking alternative forms of support and information, often from web-based sources. Mumsnet is the largest web-based parenting forum in the United Kingdom, which includes user-created discussions regarding child mental health.
Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an App-Based Program for Mothers of Toddlers. [2023]Families have faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to increased maternal mental health problems and barriers to accessing care. Innovative programs are needed to support both maternal mental health and parenting, and to buffer the long-term impacts of stress on young children. Using a patient-oriented approach, our research team aimed to co-develop and pilot test an App-based psychoeducation and social-connection platform: Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM).
A Smartphone App for Promoting Mental Well-being and Awareness of Anxious Symptoms in Adolescents: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. [2022]Objective: To design a smartphone app and evaluate its effect on promoting mental well-being and awareness of anxious symptoms in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A pilot cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with two secondary schools (390 students, mean age 13.1 years) randomized to the intervention and control groups. An app was designed to encourage "Sharing, Mind, and Enjoyment (SME)" between students and their parents (e.g., express gratitude), including interaction and game elements. The app was used daily over 1 month. The waitlist control group was offered the app after completing all assessments. The primary outcomes were changes in SME behaviors measured at 1 month and 3 months. Secondary outcomes included subjective happiness, well-being, personal health and happiness, family health, happiness and harmony, self-perceived knowledge, and understanding of anxious symptoms. Two focus groups of students and three individual in-depth interviews of community partners were conducted. Results: Seventeen of 152 students (11.2%) in the intervention group used the app together with parents (adherent subgroup) and 69 (45.4%) used it without involving parents. The intervention group did not show significant difference in the change of SME behaviors at 1- or 3-month follow-up compared with the control group. However, the intervention group reported greater increase in the awareness of anxious symptoms at follow-ups than the control group (d = 0.52 at 1 month and d = 0.43 at 3 month, both P < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed a significantly greater increase in SME-related behaviors in the adherent subgroup than the control group at 3 months (d = 0.46, P = 0.04). The interviews found favorable changes in app users, but motivation to use the app was low in general. Both students and community partners suggested primary school students would be more receptive users. Conclusions: The app did not show effectiveness in increasing SME behaviors of students, but increased awareness of anxious symptoms. Further improvements and tests are warranted. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03361475.