August 16, 2026Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
The Expansion of a Parent-Focused Physical Literacy Intervention for Early Childhood to Families Experiencing Vulnerability: Randomized Controlled Trial
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Implication
Randomized trial reveals that a virtual physical literacy program improves parental knowledge, resources, and motivation in vulnerable families, indicating potential for home active play support.
Key Points
- To examine the efficacy and implementation of PLAYshop, a virtually delivered, parent-focused physical literacy intervention for families experiencing vulnerability.
- Randomized controlled trial (NCT05436197) conducted with 35 parents (intervention: n=16; control: n=19) of preschool-aged children (3–5 years) in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.
- The intervention included an educational workshop, physical activity equipment and handouts, and four app-based bi-weekly booster lessons.
- Primary efficacy outcomes (parental capability, opportunity, motivation) were assessed via questionnaires analyzed with repeated measures ANOVAs, alongside qualitative implementation interviews.
- The intervention group demonstrated significant increases in capability knowledge (partial η² = 0.124, p = .038), opportunity resources (partial η² = 0.420, p < .001), and motivation confidence (partial η² = 0.128, p = .035) compared to controls.
- All intervention parents rated the workshop as useful or extremely useful and reported high satisfaction with content and delivery.
- Implementation challenges included difficult participant recruitment and low app engagement, with only 31% accessing at least one booster lesson.
Cite This Study
Carson et al. (2026) studied this question.