SNAP Coaching App: Helping to Support Children and their Families Enhance Self-Regulation

Leena K. Augimeri

Margaret Walsh

Impact

  • The project has developed a mobile application that provides accessible resources and activities for children and their families to continue supporting and enhancing their SNAP skills.

  • The program and mobile application are available to be implemented in over 310 communities across Canada where SNAP has been (or will be) implemented.

  • The researchers and project was featured in 3 reports and published 3 news releases since receiving this grant.

  • Ontario

  • Grant

  • University of Toronto

  • Child Development Institute (CDI)

  • Knowledge Institute on Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions

  • 2020-2021

  • Children and Youth Mental Health

  • Children (aged 1-12), Youth (aged 13-18), Family Members

About the Project

The project developed a mobile software application that provided interactive resources and activities for the Stop Now And Plan (SNAP) program. The SNAP program is an in-person, gender-sensitive program that teaches children aged 6 to 11 with behavioural problems and their parents/caregivers how to stop and think before they act and make better choices “in the moment”. The objective of the project is to assist with generalization skills by helping children and their families continue to use the skills they learned in the SNAP program after completing it. The mobile application was developed to provide interactive resources and activities that help strengthen SNAP skills that lead to improved  emotional regulation, self-control, and the development of problem-solving skills. 

Methodology

The CDI Research and Development (CDI R & D) team assembled a group of subject matter experts ( facilitators, trainers, researchers, cultural consultants and technical specialists) to develop the mobile application. Interactive videos, worksheets and other tools were created on the application based on feedback and directions from SNAP users (children, parents and/or caregivers). Once the application was finalized, the CDI R & D team conducted a pilot study with 8 parents/caregivers and 8 children to evaluate the mobile application. 

Findings

  • Parents/caregivers and children provided positive feedback as they were able to use the wide resources in the mobile application at any time and in any location.

  • They were also satisfied with the ability to continue and enhance their SNAP skills by learning additional emotional regulation and self-control strategies from breathing/meditation-videos, digital worksheets and other tools.

  • Children expressed their desire to use the app for reflection, calming down and learning through videos and games.

Project Outreach

The project was based in Ontario and was expanded to Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Quebec. The project expanded internationally to the United States of America, United Kingdom (including Cayman Islands) and the Netherlands.

Resources Created

  • Website and mobile application: https://childdevelop.ca/snap/

  • CDI SNAP Research briefs (2)

  • CDI Newsletters (1)

  • Project Annual Reports (2020 and 2021) & Final Project Report (2022) (Total of 3 reports)

  • Numerous national presentations (2020 – 2023; 12 key presentations and a webinar)

  • International presentations (2023: at the European Criminologist Conference, Florence, Italy)