The “SES NXT” digital intervention for children of relationship dissolution: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial study

Abstract

Parental relationship dissolution is among the most prevalent life crises for youths and is associated with both short- and long-term intra- and interpersonal struggles. Extant support programs tend to be in-person and in a group format. However, the structure and personnel needed for these programs make them costly to implement, less accessible, and difficult to scale. Digital interventions may present a suitable alternative. The current study examines the effectiveness of an online psycho-social intervention for children who have experienced parental relationship dissolution in Denmark, using a two-arm, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial study design. Families are recruited through Danish municipalities and the Danish Agency of Family Law and randomly assigned to the intervention group or wait-list control group. Individuals are assessed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post-baseline; parents complete questionnaires on behalf of their children aged 3–10, while youth aged 11–17 complete the questionnaires themselves. The primary study outcomes are 1) emotional problems symptoms, as measured by the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ), 2) mental well-being related difficulties, represented by the SDQ-Total scale score, and 3) impact of problems on daily life, as assessed by the SDQ-Impact scale score, at 12-weeks post-baseline. The data will be analyzed using a generalized estimating equation, accounting for non-independence of data (nesting of children within a family). The present study will contribute to the extant knowledge about the effectiveness of digital interventions for youths experiencing parental relationship dissolution and contribute to a cost-effective evidence-based scalable psychological help for a population who needs it.