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Designing a Cross-Cultural Bridging Intervention to Increase Under-Served Immigrant Parents’ Engagement in Evidence-Based Online Parenting Programs: A Co-Design Study with Indian-Origin Parents in Australia

Sunita Bayyavarapu Bapuji,Ling Wu,J. Seguin,Patrick Olivier,M. Yap

Published 2025 in Children

ABSTRACT

Highlights What are the main findings? Indian-origin parents in Australia face multiple, interrelated barriers to engaging with parenting programs. Six design principles were co-developed with parents to guide the development of a cross-cultural bridging intervention that connects with existing parenting programs. What is the implication of the main findings? Cross-cultural and experience-based co-design approaches can effectively address cultural and practical barriers that limit immigrant parents’ engagement with parenting programs. Embedding specific strategies in parenting, both program design and outreach, may improve access, uptake and sustain engagement among immigrant families. Abstract Background: One in seven youth experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global disease burden. The family environment is a modifiable factor for the prevention of mental disorders. While evidence-based online parenting programs exist, engagement by immigrant families, such as Indian-origin families in Australia, remains low. Objective: To explore perceived barriers of Indian-origin parents and co-create strategies to build cross-cultural bridging interventions to increase their engagement in parenting programs. Method: A qualitative co-design method was used, and participants were selected using a set of inclusion criteria through a criterion-based sampling approach. Eight videoconference workshops were conducted with 23 Indian-origin parents living across Australia, incorporating scenarios, roleplay, and vignettes. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s inductive coding approach. Results: One central theme and six design principles were developed. The central theme, low engagement with parenting programs, encompassed five factors that contribute to low engagement: ‘parenting programs’ is not a concept in India; limited awareness of parenting programs available in Australia; lack of time to engage in parenting programs; misalignment between parenting program content and real-world parenting challenges; and an ‘I know how to parent’ mindset. The six design principles were: acknowledge culture shock and acculturation; use a collaborative approach; include content specific to immigrant parents and children; adopt cross-cultural perspectives; use short and interactive bilingual pedagogic tools; and use focused dissemination and marketing. Conclusions: This study’s findings formed the foundation for developing a cross-cultural bridging intervention to connect Indian-origin parents with existing online parenting programs.

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