Using a Digital Parenting Intervention to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence and Promote Gender Equitable Behaviors in South Africa and Jamaica: A Qualitative Study Exploring Partnered Parents' Experiences of ParentText.
Schafer M., Lachman J., Zinser P., Calderon F., Han Q., Facciola C., Clements L., Ronnie GH., Kame Z., Ntentema Z., Sheil R., Harris J., Gardner F.
This qualitative study explores caregivers' experiences of using a preprogramed, chatbot parenting intervention with integrated intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention content. The intervention aims to address the challenge of scale-up that in-person parenting programs often face while seeking to reduce both IPV and violence against children simultaneously. Conducted in South Africa and Jamaica, individual interviews and focus group discussions exploring the chatbot IPV prevention content were held with male and female caregivers. The thematic analysis revealed that caregivers perceived the chatbot to be accessible and observed positive changes in relationship dynamics, while also noting some technological barriers and limitations.