Usability and Preliminary Efficacy of the Youngsters Upbringing Mental Health Information and Counselling App (YOUCA) for Parents of Children With Mental Health Issues: Study Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Pilot Trial

Parents play a key role in supporting their children's mental health and emotional well-being. However, many parents feel uncertain about how to respond when their child is experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties. They may struggle to communicate effectively, lack confidence in their parenting abilities, experience concerns about stigma, or have difficulty identifying appropriate support services. To address these challenges, the project PsyGes developed the Youngsters Upbringing Mental Health Information and Counselling App (YOUCA), a smartphone application designed to provide parents and caregivers with accessible information, practical guidance, and support.

The YOUCA app aims to strengthen parenting skills, increase parents' confidence in supporting their children, and improve awareness of available support services. The app includes tailored daily tips, strategies for communicating with children and maintaining positive parent-child relationships, a searchable glossary of mental health terms, and a directory of support services.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usability and potential efficacy of the YOUCA app. Specifically, the study will examine how parents perceive the app's usability and usefulness and whether using the app for four weeks may improve parenting skills and parental self-efficacy. Parental self-efficacy refers to a parent's confidence in their ability to support and guide their child. The researchers expect that regular use of the app will help parents feel more capable and better equipped to manage challenges related to their children's mental health.

This study is a mixed-methods randomized waitlist-controlled pilot trial. Approximately 25 parents or caregivers of children with mental health difficulties will be recruited, with at least 20 participants expected to complete the study. Participants will be randomly assigned either to receive immediate access to the app or to a waitlist group that will receive access later. This allows researchers to compare outcomes between participants who have used the app and those who have not yet used it.

The study will take place over eight weeks and include three assessment points: before app use begins, after the first study period, and after the second study period. Participants will complete questionnaires measuring parenting skills and parental self-efficacy before and after using the app. The usability of and satisfaction with the app will also be assessed after app use. Additionally, participants are required to maintain a usage diary to document their interactions and experiences with the app during app use.