Preliminary evaluation of the BeH20 co‐parenting program using a multiple baseline experimental design

This study evaluated BeH20, a community‐embedded co‐parenting program for divorced and separated parents experiencing high interparental conflict, using two complementary designs. In Study 1, 102 parents completed a one‐time post‐only survey, rating perceived changes in their co‐parenting quality, program components, overall satisfaction, and likelihood of recommending BeH20. Results showed a large, significant improvement in perceived co‐parenting quality, strong agreement that the program offered practical communication strategies, businesslike conflict‐resolution techniques, guidance on separating marital vs. co‐parenting roles, and support for a child's relationship with both parents, as well as high overall satisfaction and recommendation likelihood. In Study 2, 11 parents participated in a multiple‐baseline, single‐case experimental design, providing 462 daily observations of co‐parenting (respect, animosity) and nonreactivity, and 519 observations of conflict tactics (constructive vs. destructive) across baseline, intervention, and follow‐up. Findings revealed a significant reduction in animosity during the intervention phase. Together, these results offer preliminary evidence that BeH20 is both highly acceptable and effective at targeting a key mechanism of change—reducing animosity between co‐parents—and demonstrate the feasibility of conducting rigorous, university–community evaluations of community‐embedded programs. Future work should extend these partnerships to explore additional mechanisms of change and streamline data collection processes for scalable implementation.