Parent Toolkit 2.0 for Adolescent Health Communication

Overseen By Asari Offiong, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Child Trends

Disqualifiers: Child already enrolled, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

2000 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

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 data supports the effectiveness of the Parent Toolkit 2.0 treatment for improving adolescent health communication?

Research on similar interventions shows that computer-based programs can improve communication between parents and adolescents, as seen in a study with Latino families where parents reported better communication after using a similar tool. This suggests that the Parent Toolkit 2.0 might also be effective in enhancing communication in families. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is the Parent Toolkit 2.0 treatment different from other treatments for adolescent health communication?

The Parent Toolkit 2.0 is unique because it focuses on enhancing parent-adolescent communication through a structured program, potentially involving digital tools, which is different from traditional face-to-face or solely educational approaches. This treatment leverages modern technology to reach a broader audience and provide convenient support for parents, which is not commonly seen in other treatments for adolescent health communication. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

What is the purpose of this trial?

Child Trends will conduct a randomized control trial evaluation of Parent Toolkit 2.0, an innovative intervention for parents and caregivers of middle and high school students. Child Trends will collaborate with Morehouse School of Medicine and Tressa Tucker \& Associates, LLC to implement and evaluate the program with 1,000 parent-teen pairs across Georgia. The program includes three components that will be delivered across a three-week period: (1) an online self-paced Parent Guide with information, tips, tools, and resources on adolescent health, including sexual health; (2) four videos modeling parent-teen communication around sex and contraception; and (3) two group-based sessions for parent participants to discuss program content and improve communication skills. The program aims to increase parent knowledge and parent-teen communication about adolescent health, sexual health, and relationships to help youth adopt health-promoting behaviors such as delaying sexual initiation and increasing contraceptive use.

Research Team

Jennifer Manlove, PhD

Principal Investigator

Child Trends

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for parents or caregivers aged 25-70 in Georgia, who live with their 12-15 year old child at least half the time and are interested in participating together in a study to improve adolescent health and communication about sexual health.

Inclusion Criteria

I live in a qualifying area in Georgia.

I am between 25 and 70 years old.

I am the parent or caregiver of a child aged 12-15 who will join this study with me.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants engage with the Parent Toolkit 2.0, including an online self-paced guide, four videos, and two group-based sessions over a three-week period

3 weeks

2 group sessions (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants complete surveys to assess outcomes immediately after the intervention and nine months later

9 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Morehouse Family Health Study's Parent Toolkit 2.0

Trial Overview The Parent Toolkit 2.0 program is being tested, which includes an online guide, videos on parent-teen communication, and group sessions aimed at increasing knowledge and discussions between parents and teens about sexual health.

Participant Groups

Group I: Treatment Condition Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Adult participants in the treatment condition will receive access to the Parent Toolkit 2.0 intervention, which includes an online interactive guide, four videos modeling parent-teen communication around sex and contraception, and two group-based, virtual sessions with other parents and caregivers.

Group II: Control Condition Active Control 1 Intervention

Adult participants in the control condition will receive access to an online general health guide for parents that was adapted for this study from a pre-existing health guide.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Child Trends

Lead Sponsor

Trials

20

Recruited

208,000+

Findings from Research

Adolescents often face challenges in communicating with healthcare providers, including negative experiences, lack of education, and low self-confidence, which can hinder their participation in diabetes care.

The development of a Question Prompt List (QPL) through an adolescent-led co-design approach can empower young patients to ask important questions and engage more actively during clinic visits, addressing the gap in perceived knowledge between adolescents and adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Encouraging adolescents' participation during paediatric diabetes clinic visits: Design and development of a question prompt list intervention. Pembroke, S., Cody, D., Roche, EF., et al.[2022]

The Cuídalos Web-based intervention significantly improved sexual communication between parents and adolescents, as reported by 660 parent/adolescent pairs over a 12-month period.

Parents in the experimental group discussed topics like peer pressure and sexual risk more frequently than those in the control group, demonstrating the effectiveness of this online program for enhancing sexual health communication.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing the Efficacy of a Web-Based Parent-Adolescent Sexual Communication Intervention Among Puerto Ricans. Varas-Díaz, N., Betancourt-Díaz, E., Lozano, AJ., et al.[2021]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing the Efficacy of a Computer-Based Parent-Adolescent Sexual Communication Intervention for Latino Parents. [2021]

2. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Feasibility of a clinic-delivered adolescent and pediatrician communication intervention on patient participatory behaviors and behavior change: TIC TAC pilot study. [2020]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adolescent Disclosure to Parents and Daily Management of Type 1 Diabetes. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Relationship of youth involvement in diabetes-related decisions to treatment adherence. [2022]

5. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Encouraging adolescents' participation during paediatric diabetes clinic visits: Design and development of a question prompt list intervention. [2022]

6. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development of MyTeen Text Messaging Program to Support Parents of Adolescents: Qualitative Study. [2020]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Provider Facilitation of Parent-Adolescent Health Communication: Findings From a National Survey. [2023]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Testing the Efficacy of a Web-Based Parent-Adolescent Sexual Communication Intervention Among Puerto Ricans. [2021]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of a home-based human immunodeficiency virus prevention video program for teens and parents. [2019]