Online Sexual Health Program for Fathers and Teens

Overseen By Michelle Sullivan, Ph.D.

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Wellesley College

Disqualifiers: Not a father, Under 18, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

100 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests an online program designed to help fathers and their high-school-aged teens discuss sex and relationships openly. The researchers aim to determine if the program is user-friendly and if it improves understanding and confidence on these topics. Fathers and teens who regularly spend time together and are comfortable using English online are ideal candidates for this study. Participants will engage in surveys and interactive activities to evaluate the program's impact. The results will inform whether a larger study should be conducted in the future. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to important research that could enhance family communication.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this online sexual health program is safe for participants?

Research has shown that digital health tools, such as the Online Sexual Health Program, are effective and generally easy to use. Studies have found that similar online programs help individuals make better decisions about their sexual health and improve communication on the topic. These programs aim to promote safe sexual practices and enhance overall sexual health.

Feedback from other online sexual health programs indicates that participants usually find them acceptable and easy to use, with very few negative effects reported. This suggests that the Online Sexual Health Program is likely safe for participants, based on the success of similar programs.

It is important to note that this program focuses on education and improving communication about sexual health, rather than providing a drug or physical treatment, which often reduces safety concerns. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Online Sexual Health Program for fathers and teens because it offers a unique, digital approach to sexual health education that can be accessed conveniently at home. Unlike traditional methods like classroom-based programs or counseling sessions, this online program is designed to foster open communication between fathers and teens, which is often a critical but neglected aspect of sexual health education. By engaging both generations together, it aims to improve comfort and dialogue about sexual health topics, potentially leading to better outcomes in knowledge and behavior. This innovative approach could help overcome barriers such as scheduling conflicts and discomfort discussing sensitive topics in person.

What evidence suggests that this online sexual health program is effective for improving father-teen communication about sex and relationships?

Research shows that digital health tools can promote safer sexual practices and improve sexual health. Studies have found that increased communication between parents and teens about sexual health boosts teens' confidence in making healthy choices. In this trial, all participants will access the online sexual health program, which offers an easy way to initiate these important conversations. The program aims to leverage these benefits by encouraging open discussions between fathers and teens. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for fathers aged 18 or older who have regular contact with their high-school aged teens. Participants must speak English, read at a 6th-grade level or higher, and be healthy enough to engage in online surveys, interventions, activities with their teen, and an online support group.

Inclusion Criteria

Have a reading level of 6th grade or above

I am capable of engaging in online activities and surveys.

Report regular contact with the teen

Exclusion Criteria

I am not a father of a high-school aged teen.

I cannot participate in studies in English.

I am under 18 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Online screener and consent forms

Intervention

Participants engage in a 3-week online intervention with modules including lessons, activities, and support groups

3 weeks

3 online modules, self-paced

Follow-up

Participants complete post-intervention surveys to assess changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, and communication

1 week

Online survey

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Online Sexual Health Program

Trial Overview The study tests an online program designed to help fathers discuss sex and relationships with their autistic teens. It's based on Social Cognitive Theory and checks if the program is liked, practical, and somewhat effective by looking at enrollment rates, feedback on lessons, how many stay until the end of the pilot study as well as changes in knowledge and confidence before and after the program.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Pilot group for program Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

To assess program feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy, we will pilot the intervention with a purposive sample of 50 father-teen pairs (100 participants total). All participants will receive the program.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Wellesley College

Lead Sponsor

Trials

6

Recruited

3,100+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Men's Safer Sex website was developed to improve condom use among men, and a feasibility randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 159 participants showed that while the intervention did not significantly reduce condomless sex or STI diagnoses compared to usual care, it provided valuable insights for future research.

Challenges included technical issues and low response rates for online questionnaires, but the study indicated that integrating digital health interventions with clinical services could be feasible, highlighting the need for improved software and data collection methods in future trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Men's Safer Sex project: intervention development and feasibility randomised controlled trial of an interactive digital intervention to increase condom use in men. Bailey, JV., Webster, R., Hunter, R., et al.[2022]

The study involved 159 men from UK sexual health clinics and aimed to assess the feasibility of an online intervention for promoting safer sex, but faced significant challenges such as poor online response rates and technical issues.

While there was no significant difference in condomless sex between the intervention and control groups, the intervention group had a lower rate of new acute STI diagnoses (8.8% vs. 13.0%), suggesting potential benefits that warrant further investigation in larger trials.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Men's Safer Sex Trial: A feasibility randomised controlled trial of an interactive digital intervention to increase condom use in men. Bailey, JV., Webster, R., Griffin, M., et al.[2022]

Online interventions for cancer patients' sexual health have shown significant improvements in sexual function and interest, as well as addressing psychological aspects of sexual problems.

The review of four studies indicates that these interventions effectively combine education, interactive methods, and cognitive behavior therapy to support both cancer survivors and their partners.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Online-based interventions for sexual health among individuals with cancer: a systematic review. Kang, HS., Kim, HK., Park, SM., et al.[2018]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11615821/

Efficacy of Digital Health Interventions Used for ... The findings of this research suggest that digital health interventions can be an effective way to promote safer sexual practices, improve sexual health ...

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06564025

NCT06564025 | Pilot of an Online Sexual Health Program This study proposes to pilot an online intervention to support father-teen health-promoting talk about sex and relationships using Social ...

3. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2840996

Parent-Teen Sexual Health Communication and ... This cross-sectional study examines the association of the frequency of parent-teen sexual health communication with teens' self-efficacy to ...

4. trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-023-07205-3

Evaluating the efficacy of an online, family-based intervention ... The primary outcomes will include sexual debut and ever sex, and the secondary outcomes will include the frequency of sex acts, number of ...

5. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hsr2.70212

Efficacy of Digital Health Interventions Used for ... The findings of this research suggest that digital health interventions can be an effective way to promote safer sexual practices, improve sexual health ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11578285/

Social Media and Online Dating Safety Practices by ... This study aimed to describe the online dating safety practices of SGDY and determine the effectiveness of an eHealth HIV-prevention educational intervention.

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10966929/

Evaluation of a Brief Online Sexual Health Program for ... HEART is a web-based intervention focused on the promotion of positive sexual health outcomes, such as sexual decision-making skills, sexual communication ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S1438887121001825

An Interactive Web-Based Sexual Health Literacy Program ... In this study, we have developed an interactive web-based sexual health literacy intervention to promote safe sex practices. The sexual health ...

9. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2673-995X/3/1/7

Content, Reasons and Practical Barriers in Emerging Adults This study explored practical aspects of accessing online sexual health information including the type of content accessed, reasons for accessing ...