A Mother's Role in Delaying Onset of Sexual Activity in Her Children

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this study is to enhance the mother's role in promoting avoidance of sexual risks and problem behaviors in 6- to 12-year-old children. Consenting mothers will attend a 10-session program designed to enhance the quality of mother-child communication, identify sexual risks, and increase parental monitoring and self-efficacy.

Detailed Description
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This study will identify personal, parental, peer, and community factors that predispose children ages 6 to 12 to early initiation of sexual behavior or that foster resilience to sexual risk taking. The study will then evaluate an intervention designed to enhance resilience factors and reduce risk factors among 6- to 12-year-old children. The study will focus on the mother's role in promoting resilience to sexual risk taking. During the first phase of the study, 300 children and their mothers will be asked to complete a one-time interview that includes an assessment of risk and resilience factors. Information from the interviews will be used to modify an intervention currently being used in another study of parent-adolescent pairs. The modified intervention will then be tested to determine the efficacy of the intervention in reducing risk and enhancing resilience among children in this age group. In the second phase of the study, 296 children and their mothers will be randomized to either the intervention or control group. All mothers will complete a baseline interview. Mothers in the intervention group will attend 10 group sessions that include short presentations, discussions, media presentations (videotapes), and interactive exercises, including self-assessments, role plays, and games. The group sessions include content and skill development related to parenting, communication, sexuality, peer pressure, and school involvement. Mothers in the control group receive written information on diet and physical activity. The written materials are presented in a self-help format to increase physical activity; a cookbook contains low fat recipes designed especially for African American men and women living in the Atlanta, GA, area. All participants complete follow-up interviews at 6 and 12 months after the baseline interview. Primary outcomes for mothers include measures of resilience and communication related to sexual issues. For children, outcomes include measures related to possible sexual situations.

Official Title
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Family Intervention to Promote Health in Children

Conditions
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Child Behavior, Adolescent Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Adolescent sexual activity education for mothers


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria Member of a participating community-based organization Child 6 to 12 years of age and biological mother/legal guardian Ability to read and comprehend English Willing to participate

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 6 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Behavioral: Adolescent sexual activity education for mothers|nan|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Sexual risk taking, Mother-child communication, Problem behaviors