BEAM A 12-Week App-Based Program to Improve Mental Health for Parents of Young Children and Support Child Development

What this Trial Is About

Postpartum mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and anger are common among parents with children aged 0 to 5 years and often occur together. Untreated, these issues can have lasting effects on both the parent and child, including behavior problems and changes in brain development. This study evaluates the Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health in Parenting BEAM app-based intervention, designed to support parental mental health and improve child outcomes through a 12-week program. The BEAM program includes weekly mental health and parenting videos, exercises for practicing new skills, weekly check-ins with peer coaches, and access to a secure forum for social support. Optional monthly Zoom drop-in sessions offer real-time connection with other parents. The intervention is compared to a treatment-as-usual group to assess its effects on parent mental health, parenting stress, child behavior, and child brain structure and function. Participants will be assessed before, immediately after, and six months following the intervention. Evaluations include mental health symptoms, parenting stress, parenting practices, relationship satisfaction, household environment, child behavior, and child mental health and development. Child brain structure and function will be examined by MRI scans six months post-intervention. Weekly wellness surveys will monitor participant progress throughout the study, which lasts approximately six months after intervention completion.

Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health in Parenting (BEAM)