The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 10 September 2024 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Ms Zamakhanya Makhanya.

About the Seminar:

Promoting Positive Parenting Through a 5-Day Chatbot User Experience in South Africa

The presentation titled "Promoting Positive Parenting Through a 5-Day Chatbot User Experience in South Africa: Protocol for a Large-Scale Randomised Controlled Trial of ParentText" outlines a comprehensive study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the 5-Day ParentText chatbot intervention. The study focuses on improving parent-child interactions among parents and caregivers of children aged 2-17 in South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

Recognising the challenges of parenting in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where socio-economic stressors and limited access to resources often hinder optimal caregiving, the study proposes a digital intervention as a scalable solution. However, it notes a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of chatbot-only parenting programmes in the Global South. The study employs a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with three arms: ParentText, ParentText-PLUS (including a booster module), and WASHText (a control group focused on hygiene practices). Delivered via WhatsApp, the interventions aim to enhance positive parenting practices through interactive modules over five days, with additional follow-ups at one and three months.

The presentation also covers the study's ethical considerations, recruitment strategies, and the data collection process, highlighting the collaborative efforts of multiple universities and NGOs. It underscores the potential impact of this digital intervention on improving parenting outcomes in diverse cultural contexts.

Recommended reading;
https://globalparenting.org/5-day_parenttext-user-experience-evaluation-study-in-south-africa

Speakers

Zamakhanya is a mental health professional with an MA in clinical psychology (Wits University) and an MPH (Tulane University, United States). She has worked in various clinical roles in disadvantaged Johannesburg communities and contributed to adolescent mental health research, including as a trial psychologist in an adolescent depression RCT at the Wits-MRC Agincourt Unit. She aims to pursue a PhD to advance as a clinician scientist, focusing on adolescent and caregiver mental health in underserved South African communities, with an emphasis on rigorous research, innovative interventions, and mental health advocacy

 10 September 2024
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa