A Couple-Based Relationship Strengthening HIV Intervention for Young Parents

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study seeks to develop, implement, and assess an innovative 15-session couple-based intervention to be delivered in a group format to young parents that aims to strengthen relationships and reduce HIV risk. The ultimate goal of our intervention is to reduce HIV/STD risk (concurrency, number of partners, unprotected sex), strengthen relationships, and improve parenting among young parenting heterosexual couples.

Detailed Description
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This study develops a couple-based HIV prevention intervention that is innovative and important because it integrates an intervention that improves sexual health, relationship functioning, and parenting skills. Our intervention will be integrated with an existing community based parenting program. By targeting high risk heterosexual couples experiencing an important life transition that increases their stress, conflict, and sexual risk, the investigators can provide maximum benefit to the men, women, and children in our communities. Using the guiding framework of Attachment Theory and the principles of Emotion Focused Therapy, the investigators will directly address issues of emotion, intimacy,and relationship functioning to create an intervention that strengthens romantic relationships and reduces HIV risk behavior. The investigators will conduct a small pilot randomized controlled trial of 50 parenting couples randomized to either the relationship strengthening HIV prevention intervention or an active control. The intervention will last 15 weeks and each session will be approximately 1.5 hours long. The investigators will assess couples at baseline, 4-months, and 8-months.

Official Title
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Pilot Phase of Couples-Based Intervention to Reduce HIV/STD Risk (Concurrency, Number of Partners, Unprotected Sex), Strengthen Relationships, and Improve Parenting Among Young Parenting Heterosexual Couples

Conditions
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HIV

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Relationship Strengthening HIV Prevention Intervention
* Behavioral: Parenting Program Intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Women's age between 14 and 25 Men's age 14 or older Have a child that is 0-1 year old In a romantic relationship with the mother/father of the baby Not known to be HIV positive English speaking Exclusion Criteria: Child older than 1 year HIV positive

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 14 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: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: Active Control Group<br>For the active control group we will use Nurturing Parenting Groups currently being run by the community collaborator. | Behavioral: Parenting Program Intervention<br>* Nurturing Parenting curriculum delivered in a group format.<br>* Other names: Nurturing Parenting;|
| Experimental: Relationship Strengthening HIV Prevent.<br>The relationship strengthening HIV intervention will build on the structure of the Nurturing Parenting Groups and will be integrated so that participants will receive the Nurturing Parenting Groups plus the relationship strengthening HIV intervention. | Behavioral: Relationship Strengthening HIV Prevention Intervention<br>* The relationship strengthening HIV intervention will build on the structure of the Nurturing Parenting Groups and will be integrated so that participants will receive the Nurturing Parenting Groups plus the relationship strengthening HIV intervention.<br>* Other names: Partners in Life;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| High risk sexual behavior | Number of sexual partners, Concurrent sexual partners, Unprotected sex, Repeat pregnancy | Baseline | 
| High risk sexual behavior | Number of sexual partners, Concurrent sexual partners, Unprotected sex, Repeat pregnancy | 4 months | 
| High risk sexual behavior | Number of sexual partners, Concurrent sexual partners, Unprotected sex, Repeat pregnancy | 8 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Relationship Functioning at 4 months |  | 4 months | 
| Relationship Dissolution at 4 months |  | 4 months | 
| Change from Baseline in relationship based determinants at 4 months | Attachment, Intimacy, Communication, Equity, Relationship Conflict | 4 months | 
| Relationship Functioning at 8 months |  | 8 months | 
| Relationship Dissolution at 8 months |  | 8 months | 
| Change from Baseline in relationship based determinants at 8 months | Attachment, Intimacy, Communication, Equity, Relationship Conflict | 8 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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HIV