A Parent-Based Intervention to Reduce Sexual Risk Behavior in Adolescents
Condition: Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility and efficacy of a triadic intervention
      designed to target both healthcare providers and parents in order to prevent adolescent
      sexual risk behavior in Latino and African American adolescents. The intervention will be
      administered in the context of mothers waiting for their children to complete a non-acute
      care visit.
    

Detailed description: 
      In the United States, racial and ethnic minorities suffer disproportionately from preventable
      diseases and conditions. Many of these problems result from health-related behaviors that are
      established during childhood and adolescence. Latino and African-American adolescents are at
      considerable risk for the negative consequences of early, risky sexual activity. This study
      will focus on Latino and African-American early adolescents ages 11 to 14.

      The primary aim for this study will be to test and refine a triadic intervention developed
      for healthcare providers and parents to address the issue of sexual risk behavior among
      African American and Latino adolescents.

      The triadic intervention will take place in a pediatric health care clinic when mothers
      accompany their children for a non-acute care visit. Mothers will meet with a provider
      extender (medical assistant, social worker, counselor) for approximately 30 minutes while
      their children are being examined by a healthcare provider. During this time, mothers will
      receive information about the problem of premature adolescent sexual activity, support in
      preventing or reducing their children's sexual risk behavior, instruction about how to talk
      with their children about sexual risk behavior, and targeted homework activities. The
      healthcare provider will endorse the intervention separately for mothers and adolescents. All
      parents will also receive one follow-up phone call to increase the probability that the
      homework tasks will be completed.

      Participants in this study will also be assigned to one of the following three groups: an
      experimental group; an active control group; or a passive control group. Participants in all
      groups will complete three questionnaires over the course of the study to assess outcomes.
      Participants in the experimental and active control groups will partake in an intervention
      session with a provider extender. Parents in the experimental group will meet with the
      provider extender to discuss effective parent-adolescent communication strategies. They will
      also receive take-home materials to help them communicate with and parent their adolescents
      to reduce sexual risk behavior. Parents in the active control group will meet with the
      provider extender to discuss adolescent nutrition and receive informational brochures.

      One booster session will take place via telephone for parents in the experimental and active
      control groups. The booster call will occur approximately 1 month after study entry. No such
      booster calls will be provided to parents in the passive control condition.
    

Intervention name(s): Families Talking Together; Active Control on Hygiene & Nutrition
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The intervention will take place in a pediatric health care clinic and will be coordinated through provider extenders when healthcare providers see youth fora non-acute care visit. A mother of the adolescent will meet with a provider extender for approximately 30 minutes while her child is being examined by a healthcare provider. During this time, the intervention will be delivered to the mother. At the conclusion of the session, the mother will be given reference materials to take home and tasks to perform to facilitate discussions about sex with her adolescent. The healthcare provider will endorse the intervention separately for mothers and adolescents. There will be one follow-up booster session administered through phone calls to increase completion probabilities of the tasks. The target behavior is sexual activity in adolescents.; The active control group will take place in a pediatric health care clinic and will be coordinated through provider extenders when healthcare providers see youth for a non-acute care visit. The mother of the adolescent will meet with a provider extender for approximately 30 minutes while her child is being examined by a healthcare provider. During this time, the active control on hygiene and nutrition will be delivered to the mother.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Parent-based intervention; Sexual risk behavior; Adolescents