Effects of a digital psychosocial intervention on somatic complaints, sleep latency problems, and body size perceptions in youth after parental separation: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Parental relationship dissolution is a disruptive event in children and adolescents' lives that can negatively affect mental health, psychosocial adjustment, and everyday well-being. Psychosocial interventions are typically evaluated using measures of mental health and psychosocial adjustment, but less is known about whether they also improve less obvious well-being indicators such as somatic complaints, sleep latency problems, and body size perceptions. This study examined the effects of SES NXT, a digital psychosocial intervention from the Samarbejde Efter Skilsmisse (SES; "Cooperation After Divorce") platform, on these outcomes among children and adolescents (ages 3-17; referred to collectively as youth) experiencing parental relationship dissolution. We conducted a randomized controlled, parallel-group, superiority trial comparing youth who received access to SES NXT with those in a waitlist control group. The sample included 467 families and 866 youth recruited across Denmark. Data were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks after enrollment. Outcomes were assessed with single self- or parent-reported items on somatic complaints, sleep latency problems, and perceived body size, drawn from previous research. Multilevel regression models using generalized estimating equations tested group differences at the 12-week endpoint, adjusting for baseline scores and demographic covariates. At 12 weeks, youth in the waitlist control group had higher odds of reporting somatic complaints (OR = 4.18), sleep latency problems (OR = 3.99), and extreme body size perceptions (OR = 2.59) than youth in the intervention group. Differences in somatic complaints and sleep latency problems were evident at 4 weeks and remained through 12 weeks. These findings suggest that a digital psychosocial intervention may also affect less obvious self- or parent-reported well-being indicators among youth following parental relationship dissolution.