The Replication of a Parenting Behavioral Change Communication Intervention during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Too Much or Too Little Information?

This article evaluates the replication of a text and audio Behavioral Change Communication Program (Crianza Positiva) on parenting practices and well-being in households with children aged 0-2 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervention uses behavioral economics tools to guide parents' attention to positive parenting practices. Using an experimental design involving 39 early childhood centers (687 families), we find no effects of the intervention on the outcomes of interest. This finding contrasts with those found in the previous edition of the program in 2018, which showed improvements in parental involvement and in the quality of parent-child interaction. We consider various hypotheses behind the lack of results, which in turn point to key issues to consider when designing similar programs. First, these messaging programs may work as a complement to more intensive interventions, but may have limited impact in isolation. Unlike the 2018 messages, which were sent after an 8-session face-to-face workshop, the new edition was implemented without a previous workshop. Second, CAIF centers actively used WhatsApp messages to stay in touch with families during the pandemic, competing for the attention of the families. Third, the problems introduced by the pandemic increased families’ stress, potentially reducing family’s receptivity to the messages.