Implementing BEAM: A Mobile Health Program to Improve Mental Health and Development in Young Children

What this Trial Is About

Research shows that children in their first five years are very sensitive to stress, especially when their parents have ongoing mental health issues. The COVID-19 pandemic increased parental mental health problems, affecting many children’s emotional and developmental well-being. This study evaluates the Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM) program, a mobile health tool designed for parents of young children to improve both parent and child mental health and developmental outcomes. It also looks at how well BEAM can be implemented in the community and its long-term benefits for families. Participants will complete 12 weeks of the BEAM program through a mobile app. Each week includes 15 to 20 minutes of educational videos on mental health and parenting skills, exercises, access to an online forum for social support, check-ins with trained peer coaches via Zoom, phone, or messaging, and brief symptom surveys. There are also virtual group sessions and support from a systems navigator to help connect families with community resources. Starting in 2025, participants can invite a co-parent or another primary caregiver to join the program with access to most features except peer coaching. During the study, parents and their children will be assessed before starting BEAM, immediately after the 12-week program, and again at 6 and 12 months later. Researchers will measure changes in parent mental health symptoms, parenting stress, child development, and social-emotional health. The study also tracks how feasible and acceptable the program is in the community. Participants will complete questionnaires and symptom monitoring, with peer coaching and support available throughout. The total participation time spans over a year, including follow-up assessments.

Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM) 2024-2027