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

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to help parents and caregivers communicate better with their teens about health topics, especially sexual health and relationships. Participants will use either a detailed online toolkit with videos and group sessions (Morehouse Family Health Study's Parent Toolkit 2.0) or a general health guide for parents. The goal is to boost parent knowledge and improve talks with teens, encouraging healthier choices like delaying sexual activity or using contraception. This trial suits parents or caregivers in Georgia who live with a 12- to 15-year-old child at least half the time and want to improve their communication skills. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity for parents to enhance their communication skills and positively impact their teens' health choices.

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 the Parent Toolkit 2.0 intervention is safe for parent-teen communication?

Research shows that the Parent Toolkit 2.0 helps parents and teens discuss health topics more easily. As an educational program, not a medicine or medical treatment, it lacks the safety concerns associated with traditional clinical trials. Studies have examined how effectively the toolkit enhances parental learning and communication. No evidence indicates any negative effects from using this toolkit. It primarily involves watching videos, reading guides, and participating in group discussions, which are generally safe and manageable activities. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Parent Toolkit 2.0 because it offers a fresh approach to improving parent-teen communication about sensitive topics like sex and contraception. Unlike traditional resources, the Toolkit includes an interactive online guide, engaging videos that model effective communication, and virtual group sessions with other parents, creating a comprehensive and supportive learning environment. This dynamic and interactive format aims to empower parents with practical skills and confidence, potentially leading to better health outcomes for adolescents.

What evidence suggests that the Parent Toolkit 2.0 is effective for improving parent-teen communication about adolescent health?

Studies have shown that programs like Parent Toolkit 2.0 help parents learn more and communicate better with their teens about health topics. Research indicates that well-informed parents who communicate effectively encourage teens to make healthier choices, such as delaying sexual activity and using birth control. In this trial, participants in the treatment condition will receive the Parent Toolkit 2.0, which includes an online guide, videos, and group sessions to help parents discuss sexual health more openly with their teens. This improved communication can lead teens to make better health decisions. The program aims to support parents in guiding their teens toward healthier lifestyle choices. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jennifer Manlove, PhD

Principal Investigator

Child Trends

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

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 for a Trial Participant

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

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

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.

How Is the Trial Designed?

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+

Published Research Related to This Trial

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]

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]

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06579781

Evaluation of Parent Toolkit 2.0 (Morehouse Family Health ... The program aims to increase parent knowledge and parent-teen communication about adolescent health, sexual health, and relationships to help youth adopt health ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-sexually-transmitted-diseases-9-2024-e39ec

Parent Toolkit 2.0 for Adolescent Health Communication The program aims to increase parent knowledge and parent-teen communication about adolescent health, sexual health, and relationships to help youth adopt health ...

3. ctv.veeva.com ctv.veeva.com/study/evaluation-of-parent-toolkit-20-morehouse-family-health-study

Evaluation of Parent Toolkit 2.0 (Morehouse Family Health ... Youth outcomes are expected to improve as a result of the expansion of parental knowledge and improvement of parent-teen communication about ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5762708/

Evaluating the parent–adolescent communication toolkit This study aimed to assess the Parent–Adolescent Communication Toolkit, an online intervention designed to help improve parent communication with their ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12421083/

Effect of Parent‐Based Sexual Health Education on Parent ... We conducted meta‐analyses to understand the pooled effect of interventions on parent–adolescent communication outcomes and adolescent sexual and reproductive ...

6. linkedin.com linkedin.com/posts/child-trends_morehouse-family-health-study-child-trends-activity-7255207546947350528-0egn

Child Trends' Post - Morehouse Family Health Study ... Parent Toolkit 2.0, a family health toolkit designed to help parents and caregivers improve their knowledge and communication about adolescent ...