Very preterm birth (VPT), defined as 32 weeks gestational age or less, is a significant and growing public health concern that disproportionately affects minoritized communities, with Black infants twice as likely to be affected. VPT children are at high risk for cognitive, behavioral and academic impairments that persist into adolescence and adulthood. Yet, few, if any, tailored interventions have been developed to promote responsive parenting beyond three years of age, when early intervention services end and demands for child self-regulation and further parental supports increase. Recognizing that (1) VPT children are at high risk of behavioral and academic challenges, with concomitant effects on caregiver stress, and that (2) caregiver stress and parenting behaviors directly impact child behavior, the goal of this intervention efficacy research is to examine the efficacy of I-InTERACT Preterm (I-2P) , an accessible online intervention designed to promote responsive parenting and reduce parental distress, relative to access to internet resources on prematurity and parenting (Internet Resource Comparison; IRC). The intervention delivers psychoeducation about VPT neurocognitive development, teaches positive parenting skills, and promote parental stress management and self-care. Our objectives are to (1) refine and enhance I-2P based on prior pilot testing and parent advisory board feedback, (2) evaluate efficacy, both immediately post treatment and three months later, using a randomized control trial design, and (3) examine moderating factors such a household income and baseline functioning. The anticipated outcomes are that caregivers who receive I-2P will demonstrate more responsive parenting and report fewer child behavior problems at follow-up than caregivers in the IRC. The expected product is an empirically supported, cost-effective, and accessible intervention that would reduce long-term behavior problems in young children born very pre
term.
