Abstract

Maternal well-being is crucial for adolescents’ psychological adjustment; however, traditional parenting programs often face challenges related to low attendance and engagement. Online parenting interventions offer a cost-effective alternative, yet empirical evidence on their effectiveness in Malaysia remains limited. Therefore, this two-arm randomized controlled pilot trial investigated the impact of an online parenting intervention on maternal self-efficacy and mental health outcomes among mothers of early adolescents aged 10–14 years. A total of 22 mothers were randomly assigned to either the online parenting intervention group (n = 11) or the control group (n = 11). Participants’ parental self-efficacy and mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and stress, were assessed at three time points: pre-intervention (baseline), post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. All mothers in both groups completed the eight-week program. Linear Mixed Models (LMMs) were used to examine Group, Time, and Group × Time effects for each outcome. The results revealed a significant overall group effect on maternal self-efficacy (F = 4.60, p = .044), although the Group × Time interaction was not significant (p = .420). Depression scores changed significantly over the study period across both groups (F = 4.18, p = .032), with no significant Group or Group × Time effects. The Group × Time interaction for anxiety approached statistical significance (F = 3.56, p = .050), while no significant effects were observed for stress. These preliminary findings suggest that the online parenting intervention may support maternal self-efficacy, although its effects on maternal mental health remain inconclusive. This study provides preliminary evidence addressing a significant gap in maternal mental health research in Malaysia.