Table 1 Overview of primary and secondary outcome measures

Primary outcome

 Fathers’ MVPA (self-reported days/week meeting physical activity recommendations- which is ≥ 30 min/day of MVPA)

• Measurement tool: A single item question from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 'Australian Health Survey' [26]

• Metrics/questions: Single item question: “On how many of the past 7 days did you engage in a total of 30 min or more of physical activity, that was hard enough to raise your breathing rate? This may include brisk walking, sport, exercise or cycling for recreation or to get to and from places. It should not include housework or physical activity that may be part of your job.”

• Completed by: Fathers.

Baseline, 10-weeks, 12-months

 Daughters’ MVPA (self-reported days/weekmeeting physical activity recommendations- which is ≥ 60 min/day of MVPA))

• Measurement tool: A single item question from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 'Australian Health Survey' [26].

• Metrics/questions: Single item question: “On how many of the past 7 days did your daughter/s engage in sport, physical activity or active play for a total of at least 60 min? Some examples include playing soccer, netball, basketball, rugby league or union, Australian Rules football, swimming, walking or riding a bicycle to or from school, skipping, running, rollerblading, dancing or any activity that made your daughter/s huff and puff.”

• Completed by: Father proxy.

Baseline, 10-weeks, 12-months

Secondary outcomes

 Father’s self report MVPA (mins/week)

• Measurement tool: Adapted version of the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire [27].

• Metrics/questions: Fathers reported average weekly bouts of moderate and vigorous physical activity and average bout length. Values in each category were multiplied and summed to give an overall measure of weekly MVPA.

• Completed by: Fathers.

Baseline, 10-weeks, 12-months

 Father-child co-physical activity (days/week)

• Measurement tool: 2-items adapted from the Youth Media Campaign Longitudinal Survey [28].

• Metrics/questions: Fathers reported on days per week they were physically active with their child one-on-one and with one or more family member.

• Completed by: Fathers.

Baseline, 10-weeks, 12-months

 Father’s and daughter’s screen time

• Measurement tool: Adapted version of the Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire [29].

• Metrics/questions: Fathers reported the total time they spent sitting using screens (of any kind) for anything outside of work on each day in the previous week. Fathers also answered these questions on behalf of their daughters.

• Completed by: Fathers.

Baseline, 10-weeks, 12-months

 Father involvement

• Measurement tool: Using selected subscales from the validated Inventory of Father Involvement [30].

• Metrics/questions: Each subscale score was created by asking fathers to report, on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = very poor, 7 = excellent), on “how good a job” they were doing on indicators of father involvement (mother support, praise and affection, time and talking together, attentiveness) and taking the mean. Scale range is 1 to 7 for each sub-scale.

• Internal consistency on current sample: Mother support: α = 0.80, praise and affection α = 0.85, time and talking together α = 0.90, attentiveness: α = 0.77.

• Completed by: Fathers.

Baseline, 10-weeks, 12-months

 Daughters’ self-esteem

• Measurement tool: Using self-esteem subscale from the validated Kindl-R questionnaire [31, 32]

• Metrics/questions: The subscale score was created by asking fathers to report on 4 items relating to daughter’s esteem (e.g., was proud of herself, felt on top of the world, was pleased with herself and had lots of good ideas) using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = all the time), and taking the mean. After transformation, the instrument delivers values from 0 to 100 with higher values indicating higher self-esteem.

• Internal consistency on current sample: α = 0.78

• Completed by: Father-proxy.

Baseline, 10-weeks,

12-months

 Family functioning

• Measurement tool: Using family subscale from the validated Kindl-R questionnaire [31, 32].

• Metrics/questions: Subscale score was created by asking fathers to report on 4 items relating to family functioning (e.g., daughter gets on well with parents, daughters felt fine at home, we argued at home, daughter felt I was bossing her around), using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = never, 5 = all the time), and taking the mean. After transformation, the instrument delivers values from 0 to 100 with higher values indicating higher family functioning.

• Internal consistency on current sample: α = 0.80

• Completed by: Father proxy.

Baseline, 10-weeks,

12-months

 Daughters’ social-emotional well-being

• Measurement tool: Devereux Students Strengths Assessment (DESSA) validated in parents with children in kindergarten through to eighth grade [33].

• Metrics/questions: The DESSA is a 72-item questionnaire organised into 8 social-emotional competency scales: self-awareness (7 items); social-awareness (9 items); Self-management (11 items); goal-directed behaviour (10 items); relationship skills (10 items); personal responsibility (10 items); decision making (8 items); optimistic thinking (7 items). Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Never, 4 = Very Frequently). After transformation, each sub-scale can be categorised 28–40 = Need for instruction; 41–59 = Typical; 60–72 = Strength) Social-emotional composite score is obtained by adding all 8 sub-scale scores.

• Internal consistency on current sample: total composite; α = 0.97, self-awareness; α = 0.78, social-awareness; α = 0.84, Self-management; α = 0.83, goal-directed behaviour; α = 0.87, relationship skills; α = 0.88, personal responsibility; α = 0.83, decision making; α = 0.84, optimistic thinking; α = 0.82.

• Completed by: Father proxy.

Baseline, 10-weeks,

12-months

 Father-daughter relationship

• Measurement tool: The disciplinary warmth and personal relationships subscales from the Parent Child Relationships Questionnaire which has been validated in school-age children [34].

• Metrics/questions: Fathers were asked 14 questions (response options 1 = Hardly at all to 5 = Extremely much) which were used to create 7 interim sub-scores. The mean of 3 sub-scores were used to create the disciplinary warmth subscale. The mean of 4 sub-scores were used to create personal relationships subscale. Scale range is 1 to 5 for each sub-scale.

• Internal consistency on current sample: α = 0.89

• Completed by: Fathers.

Baseline, 10-weeks,

12-months

Process outcome measures

 Recruitment capability

• Measurement tool: Audit of study enrolment logs.

• Indicator of success ^a : Achievement of recruitment targets for participants (recruitment of 240 families to 12 DADEE programs across three years).

Baseline

 Attendance

• Measurement tool: Assessed using workshop attendance checklists at the 9-weekly sessions.

• Metrics/questions: Reported as % attendance on average across the nine weeks.

• Completed by: Program facilitators

• Indicator of success: at least 70% average attendance on average across the nine weeks.

Post-program (10-weeks)

 Retention rate

• Measurement tool: Audit of post-programme assessment logs and assessed using the proportion completing all post-program assessments.

• Indicator of success: A benchmark of ≥ 85% of daughters and dads retained at post-programme assessments.

Post-program (10-weeks)

 Program satisfaction

• Measurement tool: Assessed using post-program process evaluation online survey developed for the purpose of the study.

• Metrics/questions: Questions focused on participants’ satisfaction with overall program and program facilitators (e.g., Overall, I enjoyed the Dads and Daughters Exercising and Empowered program?). Responses were on a 5-point Likert scale where strongly disagree = 1 and strongly agree = 5.

• Completed by: Fathers

• Indicator of success: Defined as a mean score of at least 4 out of 5 for satisfaction items measured via questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale

Post-program (10-weeks)