The rational parenting coach app: Rethink parenting! a mobile parenting program for offering evidence-based personalized support in the prevention of child externalizing and internalizing disorders

Abstract

This paper aims at presenting a newly developed mobile application for parenting education, the Rational Parenting Coach app, that is based on an evidence-based program and is targeting to promote positive parenting and child mental health. The Rational Parenting Coach app integrates an already tested positive parenting program, the Rational Positive Parenting Program, which capitalizes on the rational parenting approach and the transdiagnostic ABC model of the Rational Emotive and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. The main innovative components of the app are described in this article, among which the personalized intervention, ecological assessment and intervention, interactive format, video modelling, gaming and attention bias modification. Conclusions are reflecting the opportunities that the new app is bringing for improving access to evidence-based parenting strategies, investigating personalized parenting interventions, and investigating mechanisms of change in parenting programs.