This study proposes to pilot an online intervention to support father-teen health-promoting talk about sex and relationships using Social Cognitive Theory, and to evaluate this intervention's acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy, using an Intervention Mapping approach. This study involves conducting a pilot intervention with 50 pairs of fathers and their high-school aged teens. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed through program data such as participants' pilot enrollment, lesson feedback, and program retention, survey data and member checks through debrief interviews (5 father, 5 teens). Preliminary assessment of directionality of change in participants' health-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations over the course of the pilot intervention (pre- and post-intervention surveys) to determine whether a full-scale R01 is warranted.
This study proposes to pilot an online intervention to support father-teen health-promoting talk about sex and relationships using Social Cognitive Theory, and to evaluate this intervention's acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy, using an Intervention Mapping approach. This study involves conducting a pilot intervention with 50 pairs of fathers and their high-school aged teens. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed through program data such as participants' pilot enrollment, lesson feedback, and program retention, survey data from Acceptability of Intervention Measure and Feasibility of Intervention Measure, and member checks through debrief interviews (5 father, 5 teens). Preliminary assessment of directionality of change in participants' health-related knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations over the course of the pilot intervention (pre- and post-intervention surveys) to determine whether a full-scale R01 is warranted. The investigators will recruit a diverse sample of father-adolescent pairs (N=50 pairs) through partnership with three community partner organizations. Fathers will be asked questions online to determine project eligibility and demographics (screener) and given an online consent form. If a father agrees to teens' participation, the teen will be sent an assent form for their own participation and a brief screener survey. If teens are 18 or older, the investigators will request their contact information from participating fathers and ask teens to provide their own consent. Only father/teen pairs who complete the screeners and consent/assent forms, meet eligibility criteria, and both agree to participate can join the study. All pilot participants will be given a pre-and post-intervention survey to assess any change in proximal outcomes. Participants will be asked to participate in 3 online modules over 6 weeks which include 3 online lessons (father and teens complete separately) and father/teen activities (fathers and teens complete together) and 3 father support group (father only). Each module will last one week and will include an online lesson and father-teen activity (fathers and teens) and online father support group session (fathers only). Lessons and support group sessions will include feedback questions (acceptability). Tracking of enrollment, retention, and duration of lesson participation will provide feasibility assessment. To obtain in-depth feedback on participants' responses to the intervention (acceptability), and to conduct member checks on pilot lesson feedback, the investigators will conduct debrief interviews with a purposive sample of pilot participants (5 fathers, 5 teens) with variation in: teen gender and level of intervention engagement. The 3 module, 3-week intervention will be delivered on Qualtrics and Zoom, accessible via computer or tablet. Online lessons will be self-paced within each week and will each include a father-teen activity, with text and e-mail reminders at the start and end of the week. Father support groups will occur online at a scheduled time planned based on fathers' schedules. Given the limited scope of the project, prototype technology will be relatively simple, with more advanced technology planned for a future R01.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
100
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.
Wellesley College
Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States
RECRUITINGSexual knowledge
Participants' knowledge about contraception, condom use, and sexually transmitted infections for fathers and teens (3 sub-scales, self-report, true/false with higher score indicating greater knowledge).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Sexual Communication Self-Efficacy Scale
Teen participants' confidence in their capacity to talk with a partner about sexual issues including using protection during sex (5 subscales, self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating higher self-efficacy).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Self-Efficacy in Relationships
Teen participants' confidence in their capacity to talk with a partner what they want and do not want in a relationship such as breaking up with someone they no longer like (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating higher self-efficacy).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Self-Efficacy for Consent
Teen participants' confidence in their capacity to talk with a partner about consent, including asking for consent for sex (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating higher self-efficacy).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Self-Efficacy for Communication with Teens about Sex
Father participants' confidence in their capacity to talk with their teen about sexual issues and relationships (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating higher self-efficacy).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Comfort Talking with Family about Sex
Participants' comfort to talk with their father/teen about sexual issues and relationships for fathers and teens including being able to talk openly and honestly about sex (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating higher comfort).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Open Communication Scale
Participants' comfort to talk with their father/teen about sex and relationships for fathers and teens including comfort talking through questions about sex (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating higher comfort).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Communication about Sex and Protection
Participants' reported frequency of talk with their father/teen about sex and relationships including talking with your father/teen about how to use condoms (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating more frequent communication).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Communication with family about sex & relationships
Participants' reported frequency of talk with their father/teen about sex and relationships including talk about value about sex and relationships (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating more frequent communication).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Frequency of Talk with Family about Sex and Relationships
Participants' reported frequency of talk with their father/teen about sex and relationships including when it is ok to have sex (self-report, 4-point Likert scales with 1-4 score range with higher scores indicating more frequent communication).
Time frame: immediately before and immediately after the intervention
Feasibility of Intervention Measure
Participants' experience of the program's accessibility including whether the program seems doable for fathers and teens (self-report, 5-point Likert scales with 1-5 score range with higher scores indicating higher feasibility).
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
Feasibility: Participants' experience of the program's ease
Participants' experience of the program's ease of use including whether the program was well-organized for fathers and teens (self-report, 5-point Likert scales with 1-5 score range with higher scores indicating higher feasibility).
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
Acceptability of Intervention Measure: whether participants approve of the program
Participants' experience of the program including whether they approve of the program for fathers and teens (self-report, 5-point Likert scales with 1-5 score range with higher scores indicating higher acceptability).
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
Intervention Acceptability and Tolerability: Participants' experience of the program's importance
Participants' experience of the program's importance including whether they think the program was helpful for fathers and teens (self-report, 5-point Likert scales with 1-5 score range with higher scores indicating higher acceptability).
Time frame: immediately after the intervention
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