Enhancing Engagement of Fathers in Web-based Parenting Programs for Adolescent Mental Health

The potential for preventive parenting programs to reduce the risk and subsequent burden of adolescent mental health problems is curtailed by their limited uptake among fathers. To date, limited research has investigated how web-based parenting programs can be optimised to better engage fathers of adolescents. This thesis used a mixed-methods approach to address this gap, inclusive of a systematic review, qualitative study, and discrete choice experiment. It was found that fathers’ engagement is influenced both by program factors and beliefs regarding parenting roles. The findings can inform future development of father-inclusive web-based preventive parenting programs for adolescent mental health.