text4FATHER R21: Social Media - Efficacy Trial

Adapting text4FATHER to Directly Link to First-time Expectant Fathers Using Social Media to Improve Infant and Family Health

This project will be the first to examine the efficacy of a text messaging intervention designed to recruit first-time fathers-to-be using social media across the U.S. to become involved during pregnancy through two months of postnatal age to support infant, mother, and father well-being.

Father engagement in the prenatal and infant periods is associated with improved infant outcomes (e.g., physical, social and emotional health and development), and mother and father well-being. However, this key window of opportunity has been insufficiently leveraged to promote father engagement, especially, first-time fathers-to-be.

text4FATHER, a multi-modal text messaging program, is designed to increase first-time fathers' knowledge, self-efficacy, and behavioral engagement. text4FATHER sends texts twice-weekly to fathers with threaded content to support infant, partner, and father well-being including resource weblinks to support behavior change from mid-pregnancy through 2 months postnatally. Text content was developed using formative research and feedback from the target population, consensus building with experts, and an evidence-based review.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged ≥18 years
• Live in the U.S.
• Speak English
• Mother gestational age at enrollment less than 25 weeks
• First-time father-to-be
• Willing/able to receive texts.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals who are minors
• Do not speak English
• Unable to provide informed consent
• Not a first-time father
• Not willing/unable to receive texts
• In the past 12 months, any safety concern reported between father-to-be and the mother-to-be, including report of any physical, emotional, sexual harm, threatening behaviors, police involvement, restraining or protective order