Recruiting

Social Media

Sponsor:

Johns Hopkins University

Code:

NCT06289101

Conditions

Fathers

Mobile Health

Nuclear Family

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

text4FATHER

Study Details

Brief summary:

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.

Conditions

Fathers

Mobile Health

Nuclear Family

Study ID

NCT06289101

Start date

Sep 10, 2024

Status verified date

Jul, 2026

Completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

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

Study Design

Enrollment

180 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Prevention

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: text4FATHER

Receipt of twice-weekly texts that include resource links and instructions to support behavior change (e.g., videos, infographics) and start mid-pregnancy and continuing through 2 months of baby's age.

no intervention: Usual care

Usual care that is consistent with typical maternity care in involving fathers-to-be.

Interventions

text4FATHER

Receipt of twice-weekly texts that include resource links and instructions to support behavior change (e.g., videos, infographics) and start mid-pregnancy and continuing through 2 months of age.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in Self-efficacy as assessed by the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) [ Time Frame: Baseline and 7 months ]
  • Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS) [ Time Frame: Baseline and 7 months ]
  • Father Engagement Scale (FES) [ Time Frame: Baseline and 7 months ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Arik V Marcell, MD, MPH

4432878946amarcell@jhu.edu

Locations

Johns Hopkins University

Recruiting

Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21287

Contacts

Arik V Marcell, MD, MPH

443-287-8946amarcell@jhu.edu

amarcell@jhu.edu

More Information

Sponsor

Johns Hopkins University

Last update posted

Jul 15, 2026

Last verified

Jul, 2026

Keywords

  • Fatherhood

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Johns Hopkins University on 2026-07-15.