Parenting Self-efficacyNCT06996067
Essential Coaching Postpartum: Evaluating a Parent-focused Postpartum Text Message Program in Nova Scotia
A study testing Essential Coaching Postpartum in people with Parenting Self-efficacy and Postpartum Anxiety, run by IWK Health Centre at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
The transition to parenthood is often an exciting yet hard period for parents. In the first year after a new baby, many parents feel less confident, have more anxiety and depression, and feel more isolated and alone. During this time, many parents use their phones and the Internet to seek out information and support. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Parenting Self-efficacy, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression (PPD)
- What is being tested?
- Essential Coaching Postpartum
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 332 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 5 Jun 2025to Jun 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Eligible birthing parents will
- early postpartum (<7 days) with their first child
- understand English
- have a cell phone with text and data
- be 18 years of age or old
- live in Nova Scotia.
Show all 12Show fewer
- Eligible non-birthing parents will:
- be early postpartum (<7 days) with their first child
- understand English
- have a cell phone with text and data
- be 18 years of age or old
- live in Nova Scotia.
Who cannot join
- Participants (both birthing and non-birthing parents) will be excluded if:
- newborn die or are expected to die prior to leaving the hospital
- they have no access to mobile phone, either personal or shared
- unwilling to receive SMS messages
- decline or withdraw to participate
- participated in a previous iteration of this project (e.g., either the development or evaluation).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
IWK Health
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Justine Dol, 902-470-7766, justine.dol@iwk.nshealth.ca
About this study
The transition to parenthood is often an exciting yet hard period for parents. In the first year after a new baby, many parents feel less confident, have more anxiety and depression, and feel more isolated and alone. During this time, many parents use their phones and the Internet to seek out information and support. Thus, the investigators are exploring the opportunity of using mHealth, or mobile health, to provide information directly to parents after the birth of their first baby. The investigators have developed a program for both birthing and non-birthing parents called the Essential Coaching Postpartum program. This program provides 332 parents with text messages sent for 6 weeks after birth to share information on newborn care and parent outcomes. This will be tailored based on whether they are the birthing parent (Essential Coaching for Every Mother) or non-birthing parent (Essential Coaching for Every Partner). The investigators will evaluate this program by comparing a group of parents who receive the messages to a group of parents do not receive any text messages. To determine the success of the Essential Coaching Postpartum program, the investigators will compare parents' confidence, anxiety, depression, and co-parenting between the two groups after six-weeks and six-months. The investigators believe that parents who get the text messages will have higher confidence and co-parenting outcomes and lower anxiety and depression. The investigator's goal with the Essential Coaching Postpartum program is to help make the first few weeks after a new baby less stressful by providing information and support directly to parents that they know they can trust.
- Conditions
- Parenting Self-efficacy, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression (PPD), Postpartum Stress, Mental Health, Co-parenting Practices
- Being tested
- Essential Coaching Postpartum
- Keywords
- text messaging, non-birthing parent, birthing parents, mothers, fathers, digital health
- Medical subject headings
- Depression, Postpartum, Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Essential Coaching PostpartumBehavioural
Also called Essential Coaching for Every Mother, Essential Coaching for Every Partner
Essential Coaching Postpartum consists of one-way, standardized text messages sent to parents from birth to 6-weeks postpartum to provide evidence-based information on newborn care and mental health. Messages are sent twice a day for the first three weeks (10am and 5pm) and then once a day for the following three weeks (10am), starting the second day after birth.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Coaching Postpartum | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Essential Coaching Postpartum |
| Standard care | No intervention | Not described |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Parenting self-efficacy
Parenting self-efficacy will be measured using the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS) tool. This 15-item tool was developed to assess perceived self-efficacy of parents of infants birth to twelve months of age and has acceptable internal consistent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.88). A cut off score of 39 or less (out of a possible 45) was determine to be a clinically low perceived parenting self-efficacy (PPSE).
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Secondary outcomes (7)
Postnatal Anxiety
Postnatal anxiety will be measured using the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS), a 51-item scale that is a valid and reliable measure to assess anxiety during the first six-months postpartum, with individual factor reliability having a Cronbach's alpha from 0.80 to 0.91 with an overall alpha of 0.95. The optimal cut-off PSAS score for detecting clinical levels of anxiety is 112 with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.75.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression will be measured using the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS).. A score above 9 (out of 30) indicating a possibility of postpartum depression 30 in both birthing and non-birthing parents.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Postnatal Childcare Stress
Postpartum stress will be measured using the Postpartum Childcare Stress Checklist, an 18-item scale used to measure parental perceptions of childcare stress in the early postpartum period. Responses are summed to produce a score from 0 to 23, where higher scores indicate a higher level of postpartum childcare stress.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
General distress
General distress will be measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, which is a 21-item scale used to measure the emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress. High postnatal distress is based on percentile scores, with 0-78 classified as 'normal', 78-87 as 'mild', 87-95 as 'moderate', 95-98 as 'severe', and 98-100 as 'extremely severe'.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Sleep
This will be measured using the PROMIS Short-Form Sleep Related Impairment (4a) and PROMIS Short-Form Sleep Disturbances (4a). Sleep related impairment measures perceptions of alertness, sleepiness, and tiredness during usual waking hours, and the perceived functional impairments during wakefulness associated with sleep problems or impaired alertness. On the other hand, sleep disturbance measures perceptions of sleep quality, sleep depth, and restoration associated with sleep. For the v2.0 adult 4-item form, raw scores range from 4-16, with a corresponding T score. Higher scores indicated higher sleep related impairment and disturbance.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Relationship Satisfaction
This will be measured using the Couple Satisfaction Index-4, which is a 4-item scale used to measure one's satisfaction in a relationship. The CSI-4 contains 4 questions: the first item is scored on a 7-point Likert scale with values from 0 ("Extremely Unhappy") to 6 ("Perfect"), the second is scored on a 6-point Likert scale with values from 0 ("Not at all True") to 5 ("Completely True"), and items 3 and 4 are scored on a 6-point Likert scale with values from 0 ("Not at all") to 5 ("Completely"). A total score is calculated by summing the item responses and ranges from 0 to 21; higher scores are associated with higher levels of satisfaction in the relationship. Scores below 13.5 are associated with notable relationship dissatisfaction.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Co-Parenting
This will be measured using the brief Co-parenting Relationship Scale, which a validated 15-item instrument to assess the five coparenting dimensions of agreement, closeness, child exposure to conflict, coparenting undermining, endorsement of partner's parenting, and labour division.35 Scores range from 0 to 60, with high scores indicating greater coparenting.
Measured: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 May 2025
- Study start5 Jun 2025
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Parenting Self-efficacyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Care provider
- Enrolment
- 332 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- IWK Health Centre
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Justine Dol, IWK Health Centre
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06996067
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1031429
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 21 May 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Dol J, Chambers CT, Parker JA, Brooks M, Dennis CL, Seguin D, Goldberg JM, Hughes B, Reese T, Richard G, Calnan K. Effectiveness of the Essential Coaching Postpartum Digital Health Solution on Parenting Self-Efficacy, Mental Health, Well-Being, and Parenting Outcomes: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Oct 17;14:e78209. doi: 10.2196/78209.
PubMed 41105940
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Essential Coaching Postpartum: Evaluating a Parent-focused Postpartum Text Message Program in Nova Scotia
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06996067
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1031429
- Conditions
- Parenting Self-efficacy, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Depression (PPD), Postpartum Stress, Mental Health, Co-parenting Practices
- Keywords
- text messaging, non-birthing parent, birthing parents, mothers, fathers, digital health
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 332 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- IWK Health CentreUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jun 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 30 May 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The transition to parenthood is often an exciting yet hard period for parents. In the first year after a new baby, many parents feel less confident, have more anxiety and depression, and feel more isolated and alone. During this time, many parents use their phones and the Internet to seek out information and support. Thus, the investigators are exploring the opportunity of using mHealth, or mobile health, to provide information directly to parents after the birth of their first baby. The investigators have developed a program for both birthing and non-birthing parents called the Essential Coaching Postpartum program. This program provides 332 parents with text messages sent for 6 weeks after birth to share information on newborn care and parent outcomes. This will be tailored based on whether they are the birthing parent (Essential Coaching for Every Mother) or non-birthing parent (Essential Coaching for Every Partner). The investigators will evaluate this program by comparing a group of parents who receive the messages to a group of parents do not receive any text messages. To determine the success of the Essential Coaching Postpartum program, the investigators will compare parents' confidence, anxiety, depression, and co-parenting between the two groups after six-weeks and six-months. The investigators believe that parents who get the text messages will have higher confidence and co-parenting outcomes and lower anxiety and depression. The investigator's goal with the Essential Coaching Postpartum program is to help make the first few weeks after a new baby less stressful by providing information and support directly to parents that they know they can trust.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (care provider)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Coaching Postpartum | Experimental | Behavioral: Essential Coaching Postpartum |
| Standard care | No intervention | – |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (12 listed)
- Eligible birthing parents will
- early postpartum (<7 days) with their first child
- understand English
- have a cell phone with text and data
- be 18 years of age or old
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- newborn die or are expected to die prior to leaving the hospital
- they have no access to mobile phone, either personal or shared
- unwilling to receive SMS messages
- decline or withdraw to participate
- participated in a previous iteration of this project (e.g., either the development or evaluation).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Coaching PostpartumAlso: Essential Coaching for Every Mother, Essential Coaching for Every PartnerEssential Coaching Postpartum consists of one-way, standardized text messages sent to parents from birth to 6-weeks postpartum to provide evidence-based information on newborn care and mental health. Messages are sent twice a day for the first three weeks (10am and 5pm) and then once a day for the following three weeks (10am), starting the second day after birth. | Behavioural | Essential Coaching Postpartum |
Primary outcome
Parenting self-efficacy
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Parenting self-efficacy will be measured using the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS) tool. This 15-item tool was developed to assess perceived self-efficacy of parents of infants birth to twelve months of age and has acceptable internal consistent (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81) and test-retest reliability (r = 0.88). A cut off score of 39 or less (out of a possible 45) was determine to be a clinically low perceived parenting self-efficacy (PPSE).
7 secondary outcomes
Postnatal Anxiety
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Postpartum depression
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Postnatal Childcare Stress
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
General distress
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Sleep
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Relationship Satisfaction
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Co-Parenting
Time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Jul 2026.
- Background: PubMed 41105940Dol J, Chambers CT, Parker JA, Brooks M, Dennis CL, Seguin D, Goldberg JM, Hughes B, Reese T, Richard G, Calnan K. Effectiveness of the Essential Coaching Postpartum Digital Health Solution on Parenting Self-Efficacy, Mental Health, Well-Being, and Parenting Outcomes: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Oct 17;14:e78209. doi: 10.2196/78209.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Essential Coaching Postpartum in people with Parenting Self-efficacy and Postpartum Anxiety, run by IWK Health Centre at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 12 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Justine Dol, PhD (902-470-7766, justine.dol@iwk.nshealth.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Parenting self-efficacy (time frame: Enrollment, 6-weeks postpartum, 6-months postpartum). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06996067, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Jul 2026.